India-Pak should ease strain in relations: J&K political parties

Jammu and Kashmir Unit of CPI(M) and PDF on Saturday asked India and Pakistan to take measures to reduce "tension and estrangement" across the borders following the murderous assaults on prisoners of both countries.

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Unit of CPI(M) and Peoples Democratic Front (PDF) on Saturday asked India and Pakistan to take measures to reduce "tension and estrangement" across the borders following the murderous assaults on prisoners of both countries. "The recent murderous assaults on prisoners -- Sarabjit Singh and Sonaullah -- are barbaric, inhuman and not acceptable to any civilised society...We urge upon the governments of India and Pakistan to take measures for engagement for reduction in tension and estrangement across the borders," state secretary of CPI(M) M Y Tarigami and PDF chairman Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen said in a joint statement here. The legislators expressed disappointment over the attacks on prisoners and said "the incidents have strained ties between the two countries which can have a direct impact on Kashmir. "Be it the border skirmishes, terror attacks or the attacks on prisoners, the people of Jammu and Kashmir are direct victims of any type of confrontation between India and Pakistan," they said. Stressing for normalisation of relations between the two countries, Tarigami and Yaseen said there should be a meeting of the concerned authorities of both the countries to study the recommendations and put in place further measures to avoid such tragic incidents in the future. They said these attacks have put the lives of Kashmiri prisoners lodged in different jails outside the state in peril. PTI