National Conference President Farooq Abdullah has said that meaningful dialogue between Pakistan and India is imperative for regional peace.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Farooq Abdullah talking to the media in Shopian said, peace is impossible unless both countries come to the table and talk. “We have witnessed four wars in the past and they could not alter our borders,” he added.
He said that wars had not yielded any results in the past and they would not achieve anything in the future too. He said that if there were a war, the people of Kashmir would suffer the most.
Expressing regret over the civilian killings in Poonch, he said, “We cannot fight terrorism by harming our people. We can only fight against terrorism with the support of the people. Such incidents mustn’t be repeated.”
Abdullah said that several injured were admitted to different hospitals in critical condition. “They were all poor and were doing menial jobs. How can they work now with their fractured bodies,” he added.
Earlier, Farooq Abdullah talking to reporters in Poonch called for an expeditious restoration of statehood to occupied Jammu and Kashmir along with the prompt holding of Assembly elections.
He expressed concern over the delay in the electoral process and urged the authorities to understand the expectations of the people. “I hope the government will understand the aspirations of the people and hold elections as soon as possible. The last elections were in 2014 and people have been awaiting another opportunity to vote,” he maintained.—KMS
