Hold dialogue with Pakistan, else Kashmir will meet same fate as Gaza: Farooq Abdullah warns

Srinagar: In a provocative statement, National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday warned that Jammu and Kashmir may meet the same fate as Gaza if dialogue was not initiated with Pakistan to resolve disputes.

“If we don’t find a solution through dialogue, we (Kashmiris) will meet the same fate as Gaza and Palestine, which are being bombed by Israel,” Abdullah, a former CM of Jammu and Kashmir warned while speaking to reporters, here.

While invoking former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the octogenarian NC leader said, “If we [India] remain friendly with our neighbours, both the countries (India and Pakistan) will progress. Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said that we can change our friends but not our neighbours.”

“Nawaz Sharif is going to become the PM [of Pakistan] and they are screaming that we are ready to talk [to India], but what is the reason why we are not ready to talk?” he asked.

Abdullah's assertions came just a few days after four soldiers were killed in an ambush attack in border Poonch district on Thursday while three civilians died allegedly in Army custody a day after.  

He said that shunting out Army officers will not address the Poonch civilian deaths case and called for an investigation to find out why innocent people were “tortured” to death.

“Eight civilians were taken away and three were beaten so mercilessly and chili powder rubbed into their wounds. Three of them could not bear the torture and succumbed. Five others are in the hospital. There should be an investigation into why this happened,” Abdullah demanded.

“If innocent people who have nothing to do with terrorism are killed, which India are we living in,” he questioned. “Is this Mahatma Gandhi's India where we can live in peace? The hatred has spread so much that Hindus and Muslims think they are enemies of each other.”

While rebutting claims of the BJP government that terrorism ended after abrogation of Article 370, the NC chief said, “Four years ago, the Home Minister made a speech in Chennai where he said Article 370 was responsible for terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. Now terrorism will finish in J&K and development will usher in.”

"Now, he made a speech in the Parliament denying he said anything like that. This is how much they are lying. Terrorism has not ended. It is increasing. Trained terrorist are coming in and they are not caught. Innocents are being targeted," he said.

(With PTI inputs)