National Conference (NC) Chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, on Tuesday, warned that if India and Pakistan do not end disputes through talks, Kashmir would meet the same fate as Gaza and Palestine which are being bombed by Israel.
Abdullah’s remarks came against the backdrop of last week's incidents in which five Indian Army soldiers were killed in an ambush in Poonch, a retired police officer was shot dead inside a Baramulla mosque and three civilians were found dead after troops detained them for questioning.
“If we do not find a solution through dialogue, we will meet the same fate as Gaza and Palestine, which are being bombed by Israel,” he said.
Abdullah explained, “Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said that we can change our friends but not our neighbours. If we remain friendly with our neighbours, both will progress. PM Modi also said that war is not an option now and the matters should be resolved through dialogue.”
He asked, "Where is the dialogue? Nawaz Sharif is about to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and they are saying they are ready to hold talks with India. What is the reason behind India not being ready to talk?"
He urged the leaders of both India and Pakistan to find a solution to their bilateral issues through dialogue.
Army chief Manoj Pande visited the Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday and asked the local soldiers to dismantle the caves that are being used as hideouts by the terrorists. He also reviewed the security arrangements in the area.
Meanwhile, the aerial surveillance and combing operations in Rajouri-Poonch, especially in the forest belt of Dera Ki Gali and Bafliyaz, entered Day 7 on Tuesday. Mobile internet services also remained shut for the fourth day in a row.
Sources said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will visit the Rajouri-Poonch sector on Wednesday and interact with on-duty soldiers in the international border area and meet with civilians, who are still grappling with the aftermath of the terrorist attacks in the region.
Earlier, the NC leader slammed the BJP's claims of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir since its special status was revoked in 2019.
"Shouting normalcy or propagating tourist arrivals as peace will not finish terrorism. They were claiming that terrorism has finished with the abrogation of Article 370 (in 2019) but four years down the line, terrorism is still there and will not finish till we try to understand its root cause," he had said on Sunday.