Srinagar, Apr 18: National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said that dialogue is the only way forward for peace in Indo-Pak region and urged the two nations to break the ice and initiate meaningful engagement to sort out the issues.
“National Conference has been consistently and strongly vouching for Indo-Pak talks and this has now even been endorsed by the Army chiefs of the two countries as well, which is a welcome development,” Farooq Abdullah said in an informal interaction with media after paying obeisance at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, according to a statement issued by NC here.
Accompanied by party’s Jammu provincial president Devender Singh Rana, the NC chief expressed happiness over realization dawning on the Army chiefs of the two countries and said, “This is vindication of our stand.”
He added that wars were no solution to solve problems, howsoever, serious in nature these may be, as negotiation table is ultimately the forum to iron out differences and reach conclusions.
Abdullah hoped that the positive observations and assertions of the Army chiefs would be taken forward to create conducive conditions for talks. He said beneficiaries of the Indo-Pak dialogue would be people of Jammu and Kashmir, who have been braving the brunt of hostilities.
NC chief said history stands testimony to the fact that all the issues have been sorted out by sitting around the table and hoped that the common sentiment for dialogue process would be initiated by India and Pakistan.
He exuded confidence that Indo-Pak talks would lead to end of the border hostilities and cycle of violence in Kashmir.
He reiterated that talks with all the stakeholders with an avowed objective of addressing to internal and external dimensions of the Jammu and Kashmir imbroglio, which he termed as political in character, would be a major initiative towards lasting peace in the region.
On the Kathua rape-and-murder case, the NC president said that the matter is sub-judice. However, he added that the innocent girl must get justice and guilty delivered exemplary punishment.
He urged people to maintain their cool and strengthen the time-tested bonds of amity, unity and brotherhood.
“Abdullah also prayed for well-being of the people of the country and Jammu and Kashmir state besides end to the disturbed conditions that have caused enumerable sufferings to the people,” the statement said.
