J&K: Centre announces special relief package for victims of recent Pak shelling

Union Home Minister Amit Shah today announced a special relief package for LoC residents hit by recent Pakistan shelling. Our Jammu Correspondent reports that the Home Minister said that besides adding to the existing 90 thousand underground bunkers, additional steps will be taken to strengthen the safety and support of border communities. Addressing a gathering in the town Poonch after distributing appointment letters to the family members of victims killed in Pakistan shelling, the Union Home Minister said the administration is currently assessing the damage in affected areas, including Poonch, and the Central Government will provide all possible support to the victims’ families. He said that while no compensation or government job can truly make up for the loss these families have suffered, the initiative reflects the solidarity and support of the Jammu and Kashmir administration, the Centre, and the people of India. He also stated that 90 thousand bunkers have been built along the LoC and more will be constructed to protect civilians. Shah said that the Indian Army had carried out “Operation Sindoor,” during which terrorist infrastructure across the border was targeted and destroyed. He said that the operation was aimed only at terrorist camps and not against civilians or security personnel in Pakistan. In response, Shah said, Pakistan carried out shelling that hit civilian areas in J&K, including religious sites. Shah added that the Indian Armed Forces later destroyed nine airbases in Pakistan, after which Pakistan requested a ceasefire. Mr. Shah said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made it clear that there can be no talks with Pakistan until it stops supporting terrorism. Mr. Shah also said that development work in the region would continue as it has since 2014, and security forces would carry on with their operations against terrorism. He further said that development in Kashmir is ongoing and will continue in the same way; no one can stop it. Kashmir will keep progressing, while security forces will continue to eliminate every terrorist as they have been doing.