KARACHI, Oct 19: The Pakistan-India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy, ASR Resource Centre and the South Asia Forum for Human Rights have welcomed the reciprocal statements by Pakistan and India for allowing people from across the Line of Control to help each other in the rehabilitation work in the earthquake-hit Kashmir.

They termed it a much awaited initiative and commended the two governments for adopting humanitarian approach in helping the affected Kashmiri people across the LoC.

“This is a bold step and we support this idea,” they said adding that these initiatives must include affected communities, women and civil society organizations working with Kashmiri people on both sides. The peace forum expressed its readiness in facilitating civil society on both sides for immediate and swift action.

While supporting President Musharraf’s proposal and the immediate response by the Indian government, the peace forum urged the ministries concerned on both sides to start working on modalities without any further delay in bureaucratic snag. The procedure to cross the LoC should be simple, transparent and without bureaucratic meddling, it said.

It also urged the government to form a land commission so that cultivable land could be distributed to the people who have lost their fields and orchards.