Farooq Abdullah, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, gave a dire warning on Tuesday, stating that in the absence of political talks, the Union Territory would suffer a fate akin to Gaza. He called on the leaders of Pakistan and India to have talks to resolve their differences.
Speaking to ANI, Abdullah invoked the wisdom of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, noting, “Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said that we can change our friends but not our neighbors.”If we remain friendly with our neighbors, both will progress.” He highlighted Prime Minister Modi’s stance on the matter, stating that war is not an option and issues should be resolved through dialogue.
Expressing concern over the lack of dialogue between India and Pakistan, Abdullah questioned, “Where is the dialogue? Nawaz Sharif is about to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and they are saying that we are ready to talk (with India), but what is the reason why we are not ready to talk?” He cautioned that without a resolution through dialogue, Kashmir could face a situation similar to Gaza and Palestine, which are currently experiencing conflict with Israel.
Recalling historical events, Abdullah referenced Vajpayee’s visit to Pakistan in 1999, just months before the Kargil War, and Modi’s surprise meeting with Nawaz in 2015. He acknowledged that continuous attempts by Pakistan to infiltrate Indian territory with terrorists have strained relations.
The 26/11 Mumbai attacks and the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 further exacerbated tensions between India and Pakistan. Abdullah’s warning comes in the wake of a recent terror attack on an Army convoy in the Poonch sector, resulting in the deaths of four soldiers.