MIRPUR (AJK): Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) President Sardar Masood Khan has said that the AJK government had enhanced relief amount three times for the bereaved families of those martyred in Indian firing across the Line of Control (LoC).
Rs 1 million was now given to the family of a martyr, while Rs 800,000 and Rs 500,000 each to those who were injured seriously or received minor injuries respectively in the incidents of unprovoked Indian firing, he said addressing a public rally at Barnala town of Bhimbher sub-division on Monday.
The AJK president visited the forward areas close to the LoC in Barnala sector of Bhimbher district to inquired after the well-being of the people dwelling close to the border.
He said the whole AJK area from Tatta Pani to Mangla and from Chirri Kot to Kohala was Pakistan’s defensive rampart.
The president said safety bunkers were being constructed along almost every residential house located close to the LoC for ensuring the safety of lives of the people from unprovoked Indian firing.
He said additional relief funds were also proposed to be allocated in the forthcoming fiscal year budget exclusively for the resolution of the issues confronted by the LoC affectees.
He lauded the resilience and courage of the people of Azad Kashmir, especially those living along the LoC, who were in the direct line of fire of Indian occupation forces.
He directed the administration of the districts concerned to reach out to each and every person affected by Indian firing and shelling and to take concrete steps for their welfare.
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Sardar Masood also interacted with the affectees and assured them of the government’s commitment towards providing them relief and compensations.
He said they wanted to make it clear to the world and India that “we do not want to fight, but instead want to peacefully and diplomatically resolve the Kashmir issue, bring an end to the grave human rights violations in Indian occupied Kashmir and provide the Kashmiris with their legitimate right to self-determination.”
He said India had adopted a dastardly approach in its attempt at intimidating the local population living near the LOC by targeting unarmed civilians, schoolchildren, educational institutions, livestock and their homes. India, he said, used such pernicious tactics to simply divert the world’s attention from the atrocious human right violations being committed by them against the innocent Kashmiris in IoK.
The AJK president said the Pakistan Army had never opened first fire, nor it had ever targeted civilians living on the other side of the LOC. “We consider the civilians living across the LOC as our own citizens and India continues to exploit this fact by relentlessly aiming their guns at our civilians.”
He thanked the Pakistan’s Armed Forces for its untiring efforts in defending the people living along the LOC and assured that the people and the government of Azad Kashmir stood shoulder to shoulder with their valiant soldiers in facing the enemy and its ongoing fight against terrorism.
APP