Jammu, Feb 25: Border skirmishes between Indian and Pakistani forces are only adding to people’s sufferings and governments of both the countries should find a way to restore peace at the borders, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah said Sunday.
“Unless they (India and Pakistan) find a way out, away from this (border skirmishes), people on both sides will continue to suffer and many will die. Many of our soldiers will also die and a similar situation will be on their side,” he said.
The Government of India must find a way forward, the NC chief said.
“What that way forward is, is up to the prime minister to decide. I am too small to suggest anything to him. But I will say the same thing to the Pakistani side, to the premier of that side. The time has come when this bloodshed must stop, and peace must be restored on the border and in the state here as well as in the area they hold on their side,” the former Chief Minister told reporters at the sidelines of a function here.
In response to a question about heavy Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector of north Kashmir, he said the shelling was not one-sided but going on from both sides.
“They are shelling us and we are shelling them back. They shell us one percent, we shell them 10 percent as Army chief has said,” he said.
On Pakistani troops targeting civilians, Abdullah said a bomb does not know where it is going to fall. The shelling is resorted to frighten the people, he said.
Asked about amnesty granted by the State government to stone-pelters, the Member Parliament from Srinagar said those released should realise that the time has come when they have to think of their careers and how to take the state out of turmoil.
“We are a tourist state and no tourist will come if there is turmoil. People will suffer, they will continue to suffer and in the long run it will be the state that will become backward,” he said.
Expressing concern over attempts to flare up communal tensions, he said “Prime Minister Narendra Modi should try and build an India of our dreams which is for all of us, whether you are a Muslim, Hindu, Sikh or Christian.”
Expressing concern over divisive forces taking centre-stage in polity, Farooq said that dividing people on religious basis is dangerous for unity.
“We must guard against all such machinations that divide the people on religion or caste,” he said.
