KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah on Saturday demanded that cross-LoC travel procedures be simplified so that people can travel across the Line of Control with ease to meet their relatives and kin.
Dr Farooq Abdullah was talking to a delegation of 50 visitors from Muzaffarabad, Gilgit and Baltistan who called on the NC President at his residence in Srinagar on Saturday. The delegation was headed by Dr Mohsin Shakeel from Muzaffarabad, an NC statement said.
“During Sher-e-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s tenure, the Government of the day had authorized Police Stations and Station House Officers (SHOs) to issue travel permits for people to travel across the Line of Control to meet their families. I’m saddened to hear the travel procedure has been made more and more complex than it was a year or so ago. Divided families are the worst victims of animosity between India and Pakistan and I appeal to the Governments of both countries to increase people-to-people contact to usher the region into an era of peace and prosperity,” Dr Farooq Abdullah said.
Dr Farooq Abdullah said the people of Muzaffarabad, Gilgit and Baltistan shared a unique bond of emotions and aspirations with all the people of the State and it was imperative that trade and travel be encouraged across the LoC.
The visiting delegation spoke to the NC President about prospects of peace and cooperation across the LoC and said the interests of the people were best served if both Governments worked with each other to improve the lives of their peoples.
