J-K CM visits shelling affected areas, vows to rebuild homes
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Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited shelling-affected areas in Uri, north Kashmir's Baramulla district, on Wednesday, offering assurance of government support to help rebuild homes damaged by recent Pakistani shelling near the Line of Control. The chief minister expressed his deep personal connection to the suffering of the people, stating that their pain is "deeply personal."
Accompanied by his advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, MLA Uri Sajad Uri, and senior district officials, Abdullah toured affected areas such as Salamabad, Lagama, Bandi, and Gingal. During his visit, he spoke with families whose homes were destroyed and pledged that the government would provide aid to rebuild their houses. He also announced that he would take up the demand for the construction of individual bunkers with the Central government.
"The pain of my people is deeply personal," Abdullah shared on social media, describing the immense loss and courage he witnessed during his visit. He added that despite repeated hardships, including the 2005 earthquake and ongoing cross-border shelling, the people of Uri have shown remarkable resilience.
Abdullah condemned the "ruthless shelling" from the Pakistani side, which he described as a "deliberate attempt" to inflict maximum harm on civilians. He emphasized that for the past two days, the border and Line of Control (LoC) had been silent, thanks to the ceasefire agreement. He assured that the government was assessing the damage and would provide necessary relief to help the affected families rebuild their lives.
Regarding future preparedness, Abdullah reiterated the public demand for more individual bunkers in shelling-prone areas, a request he would present to the Centre. "People feel the situation could escalate at any time," he stated, adding that the immediate focus would be on providing relief to those affected before taking the bunker issue to the Central government.
In response to a question about the potential beneficiaries of cross-border shelling, Abdullah expressed his outrage, stating, "What benefit? Our innocent people were attacked in Pahalgam, and 26 precious lives were lost. We did not start this fight." He recalled his earlier statement that the guns on both sides would fall silent if cross-border shelling ceased. Thankfully, after a ceasefire, calm returned to the region.
Abdullah also met with the family of Nargis Begum, who was killed in the recent shelling in Uri. "No words can express the depth of their grief," Abdullah shared on social media, offering his condolences and standing in solidarity with the family during their tragic loss.
The chief minister's visit is part of an ongoing effort to assess the damage from the shelling and offer support to those affected by the ongoing conflict.
With PTI inputs
