April 10, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 3, 1429

SKARDU, April 9: People displaced during the 1971 war from the Nobra sector of Baltistan would hold a peaceful long march towards the Line of Control (LoC) if the government did not open the Khaplu-Ladakh road before July 15 to facilitate the divided families living on both sides of the border to meet each other.

Speaking at a press conference here, the refugees’ leaders including Subedar-Major (retired) Sher Ali, Mohammad Khan, Ghulam Ahmed and Hafiz Mohammad Bilal said if their demand was not met they would knock at the door of United Nations Human Rights Commission to seek justice.

They said both India and Pakistan had opened routes in Azad Kashmir and other areas to facilitate the divided families in meeting their relatives on either side of the border but the refugees of Baltistan were still deprived of this right.

They said after opening of routes along the LoC in Azad Kashmir and Lahore, the refugees of 1971 living in Baltistan had been repeatedly requesting the president and prime minister of Pakistan and chairman Kashmir Affairs and Northern Areas to reopen the Khaplu-Ladakh and Skardu-Kargil roads, so that the divided families here could also meet their relatives.

They said after restoration of Khaplu-Ladakh road not only the divided families would be able to meet each other but tourism would also be promoted in Northern Areas.

They said people of Chulunkha Toortuk and Tiaqshi had played a vital role in defending the frontiers of Pakistan along with the Pakistan Army during the wars of 1948, 1965 and 1971.

They said the government of Pakistan had established a special department in Azad Kashmir headed by a deputy commissioner to look after the refugees and 100 kanals of land had been allotted to each refugee family in Punjab. In addition, each refugee family in Azad Kashmir was being given Rs10,000, special seat were reserved for their children in different colleges and universities. —Correspondent