Srinagar, Sept 22: National Conference President Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said that there is a need for dialogue with Pakistan to find a solution to J&K’s long-standing issues.
“They say you want a dialogue with Pakistan, but it is not possible until terrorism ends. Look at what Pakistan does. They can talk to China, which has taken 2,000 kilometers of our land. Why can’t they talk here?” Farooq said while addressing a gathering.
He expressed concern over the prolonged impact of terrorism in the region, urging the need for peace. “How long will we live in terrorism? How long will our people keep dying?” he further said.
Abdullah also addressed the allegations that certain families have been responsible for spreading terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir. “They say that three families have spread terrorism and denied people their rights. I want to remind them about the achievements of the past governments here,” he added.
Highlighting the progress made by the previous governments, Abdullah drew comparisons between Jammu and Kashmir and Gujarat. “When Congress and opposition leaders compared two states in the Rajya Sabha, they showed that Jammu and Kashmir was ahead of Gujarat in the 1970s. Is that wrong? What progress did they make in so many years? Did they reduce unemployment, inflation, or help the people?” he said.
He also raised concerns about the increasing number of young people in jail. “How many children are in jail? Where did they attempt to make peace? Where did they try to bridge the distance?” he said adding that there has been no real effort to solve the J&K’s problems.
Addressing Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s remarks, Abdullah said, “They say you have been in power since the ’90s but have not been able to remove terrorism. What did they remove? I want to ask the Home Minister, “Did they remove terrorism?” he said.
He also said that the promises made by the current government, such as the deposit of ₹15 lakhs into people’s accounts, have not been fulfilled. “Where is that ₹15 lakhs? It’s all lies and deceit,” he added.
Regarding the Prime Minister of Pakistan’s statement on Article 370, Abdullah dismissed the notion that it could be restored. “The manifesto of the National Conference and Congress can bring back 370, they said. But they haven’t studied the facts,” he added.
