Moderate Hurriyat hails ceasefire pact

Srinagar, February 25

The moderate faction of the separatist Hurriyat Conference on Thursday welcomed the agreement between the armies of India and Pakistan on ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. It said the pact would provide a huge relief to the “beleaguered” people.

“It is a move in the right direction, which will provide huge relief to the beleaguered people living under constant threat on the LoC and end the bloodshed there,” the Hurriyat faction led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said in a statement.

The Hurriyat said the governments of India and Pakistan needed to address the core concern of Jammu and Kashmir in keeping with the aspirations of its people. The separatist conglomerate said talks were the best means to address this concern. “We have always advocated it,” he said.

India and Pakistan have agreed to strictly observe all agreements on ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) and other sectors, according to a joint statement on Thursday.

The decision on ceasefire, effective since Wednesday midnight, was taken at a meeting between the Director Generals of Military Operations (DGMOs) of India and Pakistan.

“In the interest of achieving mutually beneficial and sustainable peace along the borders, the two Director Generals of Military Operations agreed to address each other’s core issues and concerns which have propensity to disturb peace and lead to violence,” according to the joint statement. — PTI