Only India-Pakistan dialogue can prevent J&K becoming Gaza: Farooq Abdullah

SRINAGAR — National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday urged India and Pakistan to get connected through dialogue and resolve disputes that cost the lives of innocent people in Jammu and Kashmir.

Talking to reporters here, Dr Farooq said dialogue is the only way forward to resolve lingering issues. He said if India and Pakistan do not realise the situation and take imperative measures for peacebuilding, then the day is not far when J&K will become a place like Gaza and Palestine.

He recalled Late Vajpayee’s mantra that friends can be changed but neighbours can’t and urged both nations to come forward for confabulation to resolve issues. “Late Vajpayee had said that friends can be changed but not neighbours. If we maintain good relations with our neighbours only then we can move forward. Even PM Modi had said that war is not an option.”

“So if voices of dialogue come from Pakistan today, why we are not responding to them? If we do not resolve our issues through dialogue, God forbid the day is not far when our situation will be like Gaza and Palestine,” Dr Farooq Abdullah said, as per the news agency KNS.

He said if we maintain good relations with our neighbours, both India and Pakistan will prosper.

He added, “Nawaz Sharif is about to become the PM (of Pakistan) and they are saying that they are ready to talk (with India), but what is the reason why we are not ready to talk? If we do not find a solution through dialogue, we will meet the same fate as Gaza and Palestine.”