‘Time right for revocation of AFSPA from some areas’
Kamal blames Army for carrying out ‘many massacres’ in Valley
Muhammad Suhail
Anantnag, April 21:
Opposition National Conference (NC) president and former Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah Thursday said the Kashmiri peoples’ love for Pakistan cannot be changed by economic packages.
“Kashmiri people love Pakistan and there is nothing I can do about it,” Farooq said while addressing a gathering at Khannabal, here.
He was there to attend a function on the death anniversary of party leader, Abdul Gani Shah (Veeri).
Farooq said India has given a lot of economic packages and spent a lot of money in Kashmir, but the fact is money cannot change the love of Kashmiri people for Pakistan.
He was referring to recent NIT controversy and how some people in other parts of India questioned the love of Kashmiri people for Pakistan.
“I am often asked in Delhi how Kashmiris have taken all the economic packages and still keep loving Pakistan. I tell them that Kashmiris will take the money and keep loving Pakistan forever,” the NC president said.
Asserting that the status-quo on Kashmir issue was going to remain intact, he asked India and Pakistan to sort out their issues for the best interest of the two countries and Kashmiri people.
Farooq said NC was committed to strive for the political resolution of the Kashmir issue and would never shelve its demand for the restoration of Autonomy and the pre-1953 status.
“These are our principled stands and we believe this is the most feasible model of resolving the political issue and would also satisfy the aspirations of our people. Others have a right to advocate their own solutions and there is absolutely no problem with that. Any solution acceptable first and foremost to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and also to India and Pakistan will be a credible solution. While there might be differences in opinion and ideology, I doubt anyone could possibly deny the necessity of resolving the political issue”, he said.
Later, Farooq told reporters that removal of the army bunker in Handwara is a welcome step.
“I think the time has come when most of the bunkers should be removed,” he said when asked about the removal of Army bunker in Handwara after killing of five civilians by troops and the subsequent unrest.
The former Union Minister also said time was right for revocation of AFSPA from places where it is not needed.
“There was a need for New Delhi to demonstrate political will and imagination to usher J&K into an era of peace, stability and progress” he said.
Farooq also questioned over non imposition of AFSPA in Chattisgarh, where CRPF men get killed all the time.
Meanwhile, Farooq’s younger brother and senior NC leader, Dr Mustafa Kamal blamed Army for carrying out number of massacres in the Valley.
“Since the time Army has been brought to fight militancy here, many such big incidents have taken place,” Kamal said when asked to comment on civilian killings in Handwara.
He blamed army for Chattisinghpora massacre, where 35 Sikhs were killed.
“Pathribal, Wandhama and Sangrampora, every incident is the Army’s doing,” Kamal said adding this brand of politics will not help the Government of India (GoI) in Kashmir.
He said such incidents will only broaden the already wide gap between the people in India and Kashmiri people.
