Farooq asks India-Pak to join hands to fight terror

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Daily Excelsior
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Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Mar 29: Former Union Minister and National Conference (NC) president, Dr Farooq Abdullah, today said New Delhi and Islamabad had to join hands to defeat terror in the sub-continent and usher peace and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir.
Excelsior Correspondent SRINAGAR, Mar 29: Former Union Minister and National Conference (NC) president, Dr Farooq Abdullah, today said New Delhi and Islamabad had to join hands to defeat terror in the sub-continent and usher peace and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir. "It is a very good step that India allowed the Pakistani JIT to visit Pathankot. If we want to improve relations with the neighboring country, then what is the harm in joining hands to see who is responsible for such attacks", Abdullah said in his address to NC workers at Nawai Subah headquarters of National Conference here today. The NC president said: "They have come as they want to know who are responsible. So, let them see and then they will give their report on their return. What happened in Lahore and if India decides to send its team there, I don't think Pakistan will have any objections". Abdullah said that there are some elements in India and Pakistan would don't want peace as they earn bread and butter from our blood. "There is no other option. We have had enough animosity and now time has come to take the friendship forward. There are some powers in both the countries who do not want peace as they earn their bread and butter on our blood", he added. The NC leader said that the solution to the issue of Jammu and Kashmir is autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan occupied Kashmir. "Give Autonomy to this part of Kashmir and also give autonomy to the other part. This issue of Kashmir will get solved automatically," he said. He said that new routes on the LoC should be opened to allow easy travel and trade between the two sides. Abdullah asked India and Pakistan have to join hands to fight terrorism and till that happens we would not get rid of terrorism. "If Jammu and Kashmir has to prosper, the friendship between India and Pakistan is very imperative. There is no other option. We have to save our State and take it forward," he said. Condemning the recent terror attack in Lahore, he said terrorism is a global problem and needs a united fight to defeat the menace. "The blood of humanity will be spilled. When it started in Kashmir I was standing at Hazratbal (shrine) and a gathering of youth was there in connection with Eid-e-Millad-un Nabi (SAW). I told them that the gun which has crept in our society will destroy our homes and our society. For Allah's sake don't use the gun and instead use the ballot boxes. I was labeled Indian stooge," the NC leader said. Abdullah accused the USA of destabilizing the Arab world and said it has led to increased attacks in many places across the world. "America also did not lag behind as it ruined the whole Arab world. If today, the attack is taking place in Europe - in Brussels, France, its beginning has been made by those who destabilized the Arab world. Look what is happening in our neighborhood. There was an attack on a school in Peshawar, wherein innocent children were killed. Till the entire world unites in its fight against this menace, the terrorism will not end," he said. On the controversy over chanting of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', Abdullah said he has no objection if anyone wants to say it. "Love for the nation is part of our religion as it is said that those who do not love their nation cannot have love for their God. There should be no objection if anyone says Bharat Mata Ki Jai or Jai Hind. There should be no pressure on anyone," he said. While speaking to the reporters on the sidelines of the function, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said his party would seek answers from Mehbooba on what was given to the State by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that she felt satisfied. "They made us to wait for the last two and a half months saying they will get CBMs from Delhi. Now, no one is talking about those CBMs. Only Mehbooba is saying that she is satisfied. We want to know what did the Prime Minister gave this State that she feels satisfied," he said. The NC leader said: "Let her take oath and call an Assembly session soon, we will raise questions on these issues inside the assembly and seek answers from her, if she is not willing to talk outside the Assembly". Omar also took a dig at PDP president Chief Minister-designate Mehbooba Mufti saying her party and the alliance partner BJP were waiting for an auspicious time for the swearing-in ceremony of the new Government. "Government is not being formed because they are waiting for an auspicious time. Once an auspicious time is there, Mehbooba will take oath," he said. On the visit of Pakistan's Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to Pathankot, the NC leader said that whether it will benefit India or not, only time will tell. He expected Pakistan to take steps to control terrorism in the country as well as in the sub-continent in the wake of Lahore attack. "There will be a controversy because unfortunately BJP did the same during its time and today they are bearing the brunt. Only time will tell whether the team from Pakistan visiting Pathankot will benefit us or not, but now that they have come, we expect it will benefit us in a way that those responsible for the attack would be arrested and given harsh punishment," Omar said. The former Chief Minister, however, said: "The way Pakistani team came for the Pathankot attack and was allowed, similarly, Indian team should be allowed to (investigate) Mumbai and other such attacks". The NC working president also batted for establishing a joint Truth and Reconciliation Commission by India and Pakistan to start a process of healing wounds of the people of Kashmir. "I have repeatedly said that the (Kashmir) problem cannot be solved by taking one step at a time. We will have to open the record of the last 25-26 years here. I have demanded this before as well that if Pakistan and India can make a (investigating) team by coming together, then a Truth and Reconciliation Commission should be established for Jammu and Kashmir by both the countries so that we start to apply balm on the wounds inflicted during the last 25-26 years," he said. Omar said it was a "good thing" that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has accepted that no one can be pressurized to say 'Bharat Mata ki Jai'. "I have been saying that it is not necessary. I have said that no one can force me to say Bharat Mata Ki Jai. If I want to say it, I will say it, if I do not want to say it, then I would not. And I will never say it at someone's behest. "If someone tries to compel me to say it, then I will refuse it. I have no objection to the words, but I would not be forced to utter a slogan like Bharat Mata Ki Jai or Hindustan Zindabad or any such slogan. Now, if Mohan Bhagwat has accepted that, it is a good thing," the NC leader said.

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Mar 29: Former Union Minister and National Conference (NC) president, Dr Farooq Abdullah, today said New Delhi and Islamabad had to join hands to defeat terror in the sub-continent and usher peace and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir.
“It is a very good step that India allowed the Pakistani JIT to visit Pathankot. If we want to improve relations with the neighboring country, then what is the harm in joining hands to see who is responsible for such attacks”, Abdullah said in his address to NC workers at Nawai Subah headquarters of National Conference here today.
The NC president said: “They have come as they want to know who are responsible. So, let them see and then they will give their report on their return. What happened in Lahore and if India decides to send its team there, I don’t think Pakistan will have any objections”.
Abdullah said that there are some elements in India and Pakistan would don’t want peace as they earn bread and butter from our blood. “There is no other option. We have had enough animosity and now time has come to take the friendship forward. There are some powers in both the countries who do not want peace as they earn their bread and butter on our blood”, he added.
The NC leader said that the solution to the issue of Jammu and Kashmir is autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan occupied Kashmir. “Give Autonomy to this part of Kashmir and also give autonomy to the other part. This issue of Kashmir will get solved automatically,” he said. He said that new routes on the LoC should be opened to allow easy travel and trade between the two sides.
Abdullah asked India and Pakistan have to join hands to fight terrorism and till that happens we would not get rid of terrorism. “If Jammu and Kashmir has to prosper, the friendship between India and Pakistan is very imperative. There is no other option. We have to save our State and take it forward,” he said.
Condemning the recent terror attack in Lahore, he said terrorism is a global problem and needs a united fight to defeat the menace. “The blood of humanity will be spilled. When it started in Kashmir I was standing at Hazratbal (shrine) and a gathering of youth was there in connection with Eid-e-Millad-un Nabi (SAW). I told them that the gun which has crept in our society will destroy our homes and our society. For Allah’s sake don’t use the gun and instead use the ballot boxes. I was labeled Indian stooge,” the NC leader said.
Abdullah accused the USA of destabilizing the Arab world and said it has led to increased attacks in many places across the world. “America also did not lag behind as it ruined the whole Arab world. If today, the attack is taking place in Europe – in Brussels, France, its beginning has been made by those who destabilized the Arab world. Look what is happening in our neighborhood. There was an attack on a school in Peshawar, wherein innocent children were killed. Till the entire world unites in its fight against this menace, the terrorism will not end,” he said.
On the controversy over chanting of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’, Abdullah said he has no objection if anyone wants to say it. “Love for the nation is part of our religion as it is said that those who do not love their nation cannot have love for their God. There should be no objection if anyone says Bharat Mata Ki Jai or Jai Hind. There should be no pressure on anyone,” he said.
While speaking to the reporters on the sidelines of the function, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said his party would seek answers from Mehbooba on what was given to the State by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that she felt satisfied. “They made us to wait for the last two and a half months saying they will get CBMs from Delhi. Now, no one is talking about those CBMs. Only Mehbooba is saying that she is satisfied. We want to know what did the Prime Minister gave this State that she feels satisfied,” he said.
The NC leader said: “Let her take oath and call an Assembly session soon, we will raise questions on these issues inside the assembly and seek answers from her, if she is not willing to talk outside the Assembly”.
Omar also took a dig at PDP president Chief Minister-designate Mehbooba Mufti saying her party and the alliance partner BJP were waiting for an auspicious time for the swearing-in ceremony of the new Government. “Government is not being formed because they are waiting for an auspicious time. Once an auspicious time is there, Mehbooba will take oath,” he said.
On the visit of Pakistan’s Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to Pathankot, the NC leader said that whether it will benefit India or not, only time will tell. He expected Pakistan to take steps to control terrorism in the country as well as in the sub-continent in the wake of Lahore attack.
“There will be a controversy because unfortunately BJP did the same during its time and today they are bearing the brunt. Only time will tell whether the team from Pakistan visiting Pathankot will benefit us or not, but now that they have come, we expect it will benefit us in a way that those responsible for the attack would be arrested and given harsh punishment,” Omar said.
The former Chief Minister, however, said: “The way Pakistani team came for the Pathankot attack and was allowed, similarly, Indian team should be allowed to (investigate) Mumbai and other such attacks”.
The NC working president also batted for establishing a joint Truth and Reconciliation Commission by India and Pakistan to start a process of healing wounds of the people of Kashmir. “I have repeatedly said that the (Kashmir) problem cannot be solved by taking one step at a time. We will have to open the record of the last 25-26 years here. I have demanded this before as well that if Pakistan and India can make a (investigating) team by coming together, then a Truth and Reconciliation Commission should be established for Jammu and Kashmir by both the countries so that we start to apply balm on the wounds inflicted during the last 25-26 years,” he said.
Omar said it was a “good thing” that RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has accepted that no one can be pressurized to say ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’. “I have been saying that it is not necessary. I have said that no one can force me to say Bharat Mata Ki Jai. If I want to say it, I will say it, if I do not want to say it, then I would not. And I will never say it at someone’s behest.
“If someone tries to compel me to say it, then I will refuse it. I have no objection to the words, but I would not be forced to utter a slogan like Bharat Mata Ki Jai or Hindustan Zindabad or any such slogan. Now, if Mohan Bhagwat has accepted that, it is a good thing,” the NC leader said.

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