Srinagar:
National Conference President DrFarooq Abdullah on Thursday expressed serious concern over the continued hostility between India India and Pakistan on the Line of Control and the International Border and said people deserved the right to live in peace and prosper. “People living along our frontier areas are facing unprecedented difficulties and have been forced to give up their homes, hearths and sources of livelihood as intense cross-border and cross-loc shelling and hostility forces them to migrate to save their lives”, Dr. Farooq Abdullah said while interacting with various public delegations and party supporters in Srinagar on Thursday.
“We have endured far too much pain and suffering because of continued hostility and animosity between the two neighbours. Both countries should realize enormous human, economic and social costs of hostility and engage with each other to exploit dividends of peace, mutual cooperation and amity. In today’s day and age, India and Pakistan can work together to tide over common challenges and this cooperation will immensely benefit both countries and also usher J&K into an era of peace, stability and progress”, Dr. Farooq Abdullah said.
The National Conference President expressed solidarity with victims of violence in the Valley and said the need of the hour was to ensure the vicious cycle of pain, suffering and death is broken and justice dispensed to the victims. “Justice and closure is a pre-requisite for reconciliation and resolution of a political issue that has foxed many great minds and consumed thousands of our young men and women. We should all strive together to ensure the future holds the promise of justice, empowerment and dignity for the State and its people”, Dr. Farooq Abdullah added.
“I urge New Delhi and Islamabad to resume a comprehensive dialogue process with a goal to resolving all outstanding issues between the two countries. That’s imperative for peace in J&K and in the entire region. The problem in Kashmir is inherently a political problem and not an economic problem or one that stems from unemployment. We need to respect this and engage with the sentiments and aspirations of the alienated youth rather than browbeating and threatening them of dire consequences. Confrontational attitudes will only compound the situation”, the National Conference President further said.
