Situation at LoC most unfortunate: Tarigami

Describing the situation at Line of Control (LoC) as "most unfortunate and a step backwards", Jammu and Kashmir unit of CPI(M) today said India and Pakistan should fight their "internal enemies" rather than "aiming their guns" on each other.

"Let India and Pakistan fight their greater internal enemies of poverty, corruption, diseases, natural disasters like floods and of course terrorism and sectarian violence, rather than aim their guns on each other," state secretary CPI(M) M Y Tarigami said in a statement here.

Tarigami said the leadership of both the countries have to rise above small political considerations, exercise control, show grit and take "bold initiatives".

"It is their historical obligation to bury the hatchet and open a new chapter in the relations of the two neighbours. By maintaining peace, they have a chance to contribute and by prolonging animosity they have nothing to gain and give," he said.

Since the vast majority of the people in both the countries long for peace, the governments should "not listen to hawks" and to those who "hope to thrive on uncertainty, tension, animosity and hatred", the CPI(M) leader said, urging the leadership of both the countries to think over the phenomenon and root out the "irritants".

Tarigami also batted for making the ceasefire at LoC permanent.

"If most of the present day European countries could reduce their borders to mere dotted lines on the map, why cannot India and Pakistan silence their guns and maintain calm on the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

Tarigami said the statements of the leaders on both sides advocating friendly relations makes no sense if guns keep on roaring on the LoC and people, especially uninvolved civilians get killed and properties damaged.

"No doubt Kashmiri's on both sides bear the brunt, the people of India and Pakistan too suffer economically, politically, socially and even psychologically," he said.

He said "Kashmir issue a festering wound and a bottleneck in the ushering of peace and prosperity in South Asia" and appealed the Indian and Pakistani leadership to show courage and acumen and initiate the process of resolving all mutual issues including Kashmir.