SRINAGAR: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said terrorism would never succeed in Kashmir, asserting that those who believe they could capture the region through violence were living in a misconception.
Reacting to the attack in Kishtwar in which two Special Police Officers (SPOs) were targeted, Abdullah said terrorism continued to exist in Jammu and Kashmir despite repeated claims that it had ended.
Speaking to reporters, he said those who claim in Delhi that terrorism has been wiped out should acknowledge that it still exists and focus on finding ways to eliminate it.
“Such incidents are still taking place, and nobody knows where the next attack will happen,” he said.
On claims of normalcy following the abrogation of Article 370, Abdullah said terrorism continued to exist but people should not be afraid of it.
“Kashmir was, is, and will remain a part of India. They can do whatever they have to do,” he said.
Referring to Pakistan, Abdullah recalled the violence during the 1947 tribal invasion, saying mothers and sisters were killed and assaulted, while a doctor, his wife and a nurse at a Christian-run hospital were also killed.
He said repeatedly raising the Kashmir issue would not resolve the differences between the two countries, stressing that dialogue was the only way forward.
Referring to the conflicts involving Iran and the United States and the ongoing war in Ukraine, Abdullah said wars destroyed everything and that negotiations ultimately offered a way out.
“I always tell Pakistan — stop terrorism. Nothing will come out of this. Adopt the path of dialogue, through which a way out can be found. We were both parts of one country,” he said.
Abdullah also called for the revival of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), saying countries in the region should sit together, resolve their differences and work towards progress.
Referring to Germany’s destruction of Europe under Adolf Hitler and the subsequent process of European integration, he said the continent had eventually moved towards unity, with a common currency and shared outlook.
He said SAARC, which he attributed to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, should be revived to enable regional countries to address their differences through dialogue and cooperation.
“But bullets and talks cannot go together,” he added.
