Anantnag Encounter: ‘We Will Keep Losing Lives If….,’ Says NC Chief Farooq Abdullah

Srinagar: National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said India and Pakistan will have to come to the dialogue table if they want to end bloodshed and find lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir. The former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister also said wars did not resolve issues in the past nor will they bring peace in the future.

“Such incidents will continue if there is no dialogue. We are fools if we think that it (violence) will stop. We will keep losing lives…. There is no way but dialogue. Both countries should give up their stubbornness and hold talks,” Abdullah told reporters here after visiting the family of Humayun Bhat, a deputy superintendent of the Jammu and Kashmir Police who was killed in a gunbattle with terrorists in Anantnag.

Bhat and two other security officers — Colonel Manpreet Singh and Major Ashish Dhonchak — were killed in the encounter with terrorists in the Kokernag area of Anantnag district on Wednesday.

Asked about some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders’ remarks about taking back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Abdullah said wars neither resolved issues in the past, nor will bring peace in the future.

“Let them do it. Who is stopping them? I will not stop. If they feel that it will end the problem, they should do it. Let me make it clear that confrontation can resolve no issue. Pakistan has fought four wars and the borders are still in place,” he added. Abdullah slammed the BJP-led Centre for claiming that terrorism has ended in Jammu and Kashmir.

“It is a big loss for the family and the country. You have seen that a colonel and a major have also been killed, besides this young DSP. There is no doubt that this destruction has been going on for long, but I do not see an end to it. The government is shouting that terrorism has ended. You tell me, has it ended?” he asked.

Reiterating his stand on resumption of dialogue, Abdullah cited the example of the Ukraine conflict. “Look at the situation in Ukraine. There is destruction everywhere. For establishing peace, Russia and Ukraine will have to hold talks,” he said.

Asked if he was advocating holding talks with Pakistan, the NC president said, “The talks will have to be between the two countries that are at loggerheads. There is no point talking to me. This problem has been there since India became independent.” Replying to a question about Pakistan fomenting trouble in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said the neighbouring country has never accepted the status quo.

“How does it matter? Pakistan has been saying that they do not accept it. They throw the UN resolutions at you. What will you tell them? They are saying we do not accept this decision,” he added.

The former Union minister said he is not in a position to throw light on where these terrorists are coming from, but added that incidents from the recent past indicate that they are highly trained and might be from a country other than Pakistan.

“I am neither in the intelligence nor in the government, so I cannot say where they come from. But they are coming and they are coming fully trained. I fear that these foreign terrorists might be from another country, they are so well trained,” he said.

Asked if he was hinting at the involvement of Afghans, Abdullah said he does not want to point fingers at anyone. “Those who need to understand will understand. There is a danger, an imminent danger. We have to face this every day. Our people are dying, our jawans are dying,” he said.