As the Line of Control (LoC) in the Pir Panchal Valley witnessed heightened tension on Monday, the J&K government asked the Centre to revisit former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s doctrine to defuse tension with Pakistan. “The process of reconciliation initiated by Mr. Vajpayee in 2003 needs to be taken forward for lasting peace in J&K. Dialogue and reconciliation is the only way to restore peace along the borders and on the mainland,” State Parliamentary Affairs Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri told the J&K Assembly.
Earlier, MLAs of the ruling BJP and the Opposition parties, including National Conference (NC) and Congress, raised a storm over the killing of four Army men in Pakistani firing on Sunday.
BJP legislator Ravinder Raina also raised anti-Pakistan slogans. NC MLA Ali Muhammad Sagar sought a statement from Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. “For how long shall it continue?” asked Mr. Sagar.
A day after the killing of the four Army personnel in Rajouri’s Bimbher Sector, all 84 schools located within five km of the LoC were closed in Sunderbani and Manjakote for three days. Mr. Veeri said both sides stopped firing at 7.45 p.m. on Sunday. Sources said there was intermittent firing in Rajouri and Poonch “but no casualty was reported.”
Pakistani troops resorted to heavy weapons fire, including missiles and mortars, on Sunday to target the Army installations and border posts.
