Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Nov 29: National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah today asked Government of India to find ways and means to talk to neighbouring Pakistan, saying war is no solution and it only increases tragedies.
“The only way forward, if we have to fight terrorism as Prime Minister said ‘it is a world phenomenon and we all together should fight terrorism’, then time has come for Government of India which is the bigger country than Pakistan to find ways and means to talk to Pakistan and finding way forward,” Farooq told reporters here at Nawai-e-Subh party headquarters.
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The NC president defended his remarks on Pakistan occupied Kashmir and said he does not speak “irrational”. “What is Farooq Abdullah saying? I am not saying something which is irrational. For 70 years, PoK has been part of Pakistan. This (J&K) has been part of India. Four wars have been fought and in these four wars, nothing has happened. They hold that territory, we hold this territory,” he said.
Farooq said “when I speak something, I speak because of the things I see”. “I see the tragedy my people have to face. Not only in the Valley, but in the rest of the areas. Look at our borders, shells come, our woman, our children, our people die. Soldiers die, officers die on both sides. What are we trying to achieve,” he said. He said war is no solution and only talks would resolve the issues.
“Why can’t they now sit down, if they want to get rid of terrorism, (and) talk because without talk if you think by war we can solve a solution, it is never going to happen. Wars do not solve solution. War increase tragedies and therefore I think time has come when we must find ways and means of talking and finding a final solution acceptable to the people of Pakistan, acceptable to the people of India and acceptable to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh,” he said.
The NC president said both India and Pakistan should sit down and find a way. “Solution will come out through talks, not by any other thing. Solution won’t fall through sky. Pakistan and India, which are two atomic powers, should talk together and find out a way which would be a way of blessing for us,” he said.
When his reaction was sought over the reported pro-Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) remarks of former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, the NC president asked Pakistan not to harbor militant outfits, saying they would destroy entire world including that country.
“I will request Musharraf very respectfully that LeT is their production. They created these groups who do their work. But it is Pakistan which has been destroyed by them (militant groups). They dug grave for others but they are themselves falling into it. I have a only request to them which is for God’s sake, do not harbor those organizations who not only would destroy Pakistan but entire world,” he said.
The NC president requested Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to shift Kashmiri inmates from outside jails if their condition is bad. “I will request my Chief Minister, who has spoken to Home Secretary recently, that instead of she talks to the Home Secretary, I believe she has sent these prisoners to these jails and if she is so concerned about their well being she should herself go and see their condition. And if she sees their condition is bad, then they should be brought back to local jails,” he said.
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