Farooq visits Poonch village hit by Pak firing

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today visited Sabjiyan village along the LoC in Poonch district which has been witnessing intermittent heavy firing by Pakistani troops in the past three days, and expressed solidarity with the residents.
Abdullah was welcomed by the villagers with the beating of traditional drums and Kashmiri musical lores.
Even as no one from the central and the state governments visited the forward areas in the wake of spurt in ceasefire violations and shelling from across the border, an "anguished" Abdullah today travelled to Sabjiyan village, close to the Line of Control in Poonch, and expressed solidarity with the suffering people, an NC spokesman said.

Abdullah told the villagers, "I have nothing to offer you except sharing your pains."
Taking stock of the situation, Abdullah said while the people were suffering, the governments in New Delhi and Srinagar showed no signs of concern over their plight.
He noted with dismay the complaints made by the villagers that the government did not even arrange for shifting of the injured to hospitals.

"They (authorities) have all the necessary wherewithal to travel to border areas in Poonch and Kathua to take stock of the situation and to see for themselves how badly the people were suffering due to shelling," he said.

Abdullah asked "where has that chest beating gone which all the BJP leaders, from top to bottom, were demonstrating during electioneering".
The NC president said the people were yearning for peace, which is why they wanted good neighbourly relations between the two neighbouring countries.
"Pakistan should understand and appreciate this and help in defusing the situation, as the people cannot be allowed to become fodder of mortars and shelling all the time," he said.
"There has to be an end somewhere as violence and hostility are no substitute for peace," he added.
He also enquired about the condition of those injured due to shelling and to take stock of damages caused. He interacted with the people, lauded their courage in braving the situation and expressed solidarity of his party with them.

NC Jammu Provincial President Devender Singh Rana and Provincial Youth National Conference President and former MLA Ajaz Jan were among those who accompanied Abdullah.