February 10, 2003	Monday	Zul Hijjah 8,1423

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MUZAFFARABAD, Feb 9: Leaders of almost all the political parties in Neelum Valley have charged the federal government with indifference to the plight of the locals, who are facing Indian shelling from across the Line of Control for the last 13 years.

Speaking at a press conference here on Saturday under the banner of Neelum United Front, they said that the shelling had turned the valley into hell for its 150, 000 residents. Situation was worsening with the each passing day, they added.

Over the past 13 years, enemy shelling had killed over 1,700 civilians and left around 4,000 people handicapped, they said.

It was due to this shelling that properties worth millions of rupees had been turned into rubble and the sources of income had completely dried up, they said.

“We no more want to die without any cause. We need peace, and Pakistan should ensure it whether through a war or through dialogue,” they said.

The valley leaders said that the main road in the area was closed to traffic for the last 10 years while the two alternate routes were also in the range of the shelling.

“We are constantly facing aggression, but unfortunately the federal government, particularly the ministry of defence, are completely indifferent to the situation as if nothing has happened,” they said.

“We urge President Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali in the name of humanity to take steps to provide protection of life and property to the residents of our area,” the leaders said. Former AJK minister Haji Gule Khandan (Muslim Conference), Mian Abdul Waheed (AJK People’s Party), Inayat Ali Qasmi (Jamaat-i-Islami) and Mufti Abdul Aziz (Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam), were present.