Pakistan's truce violation during Ramadan is intolerable: Mehbooba
Jammu, May 25: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said on Friday that Pakistan has violated the ceasefire with impunity during the holy month of Ramadan resulting in loss of precious lives during the month of prayer and penance.
The Chief Minister visited families in R.S. Pura sector of Jammu district to condole the deaths of their kith and kin in recent shelling by Pakistan Rangers.
"What Pakistan has been doing during the holy month of Ramadan is becoming increasingly intolerable. It has been violating the ceasefire when the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has declared a ceasefire in respect to the holy month.
"It appears that despite being a Muslim country, Pakistan has scant respect for the holy month which Muslims spend in prayer and penance".
She said the ceasefire agreement signed in November 2003 between India and Pakistan had brought in a modicum of normalcy in the lives of thousands of residents of border areas on both sides of the border.
"But, that atmosphere of peace and tranquillity has been shattered because of frequent ceasefire violations by Pakistan", the Chief Minister said.
State Public Health Engineering Minister Sham Choudhary and Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Javed Mustafa Mir accompanied the Chief Minister during her border visit.
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Waqf Bill: Oppn members meet LS Speaker to protest par panel chairman's 'unilateral' decisions
New Delhi, Nov 5: Opposition members in the parliamentary committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday to register their protest against alleged "unilateral" decisions being taken by panel chairman and BJP MP Jagdambika Pal.
They said the Speaker heard them patiently and assured them of a decision at the earliest.
"It was a very nice discussion. He was very kind to us. The Speaker has very patiently heard us and said he will look into the matter," TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said.
Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh and DMK MP A Raja spoke on similar lines.
"It was a fruitful meeting, the Speaker assured us of looking into our grievances," he said.
The MPs also submitted a memorandum to the Speaker detailing their concerns.
According to sources, the MPs submitted a letter to the Speaker, signed by Opposition MPs including Congress's Mohammad Jawed and Imran Masood, DMK's Raja, AIMIM's Asaduddin Owaisi, AAP's Sanjay Singh and TMC's Kalyan Banerjee.
Opposition MPs have accused Pal, the chairperson of the committee scrutinising the Bill, of taking "unilateral decisions" on fixing the dates of sittings -- which were at times for three consecutive days -- and whom to call as witnesses.
The MPs, in the memorandum, urged the Speaker to direct the Chairman of the JPC to have a formal consultation with members of the Committee before taking decisions on such issues, according to sources
They had also said they may be forced to "disassociate with JPC once for all as we have been stonewalled".
To a query on the issue on Tuesday, the MPs refused to divulge details. "We cannot reveal the details of the conversation," Singh said.
On whether they will continue to attend the meetings of the joint committee of the two Houses, Banerjee said, "Yes we will attend because the Speaker is looking into the matter".
The committee's proceedings have been stormy amid frequent protests from opposition members over a host of issues, while the BJP members have accused them of deliberately trying to scuttle its work.
