NC welcomes Indo-Pak thaw, let there be open talks now: Omar Abdullah

SRINAGAR — While welcoming the thaw between India and Pakistan, National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah on Saturday said that the two countries must move beyond secret talks and join the table for open talks to resolve all issues including Kashmir.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of a party function at party office in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district, Omar said that the NC has always welcomed peace overtures between India and Pakistan.

“We have always been stating that war is no solution and all issues can be resolved through dialogue. I don’t want to go into how these two countries are coming closer to each other. What I want to say is that India and Pakistani leadership must move beyond secret talks and join the table for an open dialogue,” Omar said, adding that “dialogue is the only way to resolve issues including Kashmir. There are lot of issues between India and Pakistan.”

About the ED questioning of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, Omar said that from Tamil Nadu to J&K, Mehbooba is not the only leader who was summoned.

“Wherever leaders are being summoned, the leaders are facing it in the form of questioning etc. We have observed in the past eight years, opposing the Centre’s policies invites summons from the agencies. We are ready to face this too,” he said.