Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his father, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, on Saturday welcomed the ceasefire between India and Pakistan saying it was better late than never.
"I welcome from the depths of my heart the announcement made by Government of India spokesperson about restoration of ceasefire between India and Pakistan," Omar told reporters at his residence.
"Better late than never but had this ceasefire come two or three days earlier, perhaps the bloodshed we saw and the precious lives we lost, would have been safe," he added.
Abdullah said the DGMO of Pakistan called his Indian counterpart and they agreed to establish ceasefire again in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere.
"It is now the duty of J-K government to provide relief and compensation to those who have suffered during this period. We have announced compensation for the loss of precious lives. Now we will have to compensate those who have been injured as well," he added.
The chief minister said there has been lot of devastation caused by cross border shelling and attacks in Jammu, Poonch, Rajouri, Tangdhar and other border areas.
"Now we also hope that we can resume the Hajj flights as we were not able to send the pilgrims to Hajj due to closure of airport," he said.
Farooq Abdullah in a statement emphasised the urgent need to end hostilities as they have been taking a toll on the people living along the Line of Control and International Border in J-K.
Abdullah expressed his support for the ceasefire, acknowledging the significant impact the ongoing situation has had on the people and their property in the region.
"Our people along the LoC and IB have borne the brunt of the deteriorating situation between the two neighbouring countries. This measure will greatly alleviate the suffering of our people who have been caught in the crossfire," he added.
Abdullah said that his party has always advocated for lasting friendship between India and Pakistan.
"However, the primary responsibility to bridge the trust deficit lies with Pakistan, which must address India's genuine concerns regarding cross-border terrorism," he added.
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