Accusing Mufti-led government of scuttling the NSA level talks between India and Pakistan, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Tuesday said that even he or his father Farooq Abdullah have lakhs of shortcomings, but never were Hurriyat leaders arrested to prevent them from meeting Pakistani leaders in their 12 years rule in Jammu and Kashmir.Omar Abdullah was speaking during a function organized to commemorate the death anniversary of NC founder Sheikh Abdullah in Srinagar on Tuesday.He appealed both India and Pakistan to initiate the process of dialogue as “gun was not the solution to any issue”.“War threats are being issued from both India and Pakistan. And if war happens, poor Kashmiris will be killed on both sides of the border and nothing will change even after that,” he said.
Abdullah appealed both India and Pakistan to desist from such posturing and asked them to initiate dialogue “as only talks will solve the issues”. Omar however, also said Pakistan was deliberately creating obstacles in the way of dialogue."The atmosphere which is being created is not a good thing. A threat after threat is given. Rather than creating a good atmosphere, they are talking of making the situation worse. The NSA talks did not happen. Now, the DGMO talks are in danger.He accused Mufti Mohammad Sayeed of sabotaging the NSA-level talks between India and Pakistan, saying he prevented Hurriyat leaders from meeting Pakistan High Commissioner by arresting them.
"Now he (Sayeed) says that NSA talks should have been held. Jenab, if anyone sabotaged those talks, it is you (Sayeed) when you arrested these (Hurriyat) leaders," Omar said adding that when Sayeed did not allow Hurriyat leaders to talk to Pakistan High Commissioner in New Delhi, how would he facilitate their dialogue with the Centre as mentioned in the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) of BJP-PDP coalition."Where has that Mufti gone, who used to say that this is the battle of ideas? Those people, with whom his thinking does not match, are arrested. You said in your agenda for alliance that you will facilitate dialogue between the Centre and the Hurriyat. When you did not permit Hurriyat to talk to Pakistan in Delhi, how would you let them talk to the Centre.He also lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party for making efforts to divide the state. “Now there is another issue of Dogra certificate. They want to divide Jammu and Kashmir. We won’t let them do it. We warn them that they will be responsible for the situation that develops in the state,” Abdullah said. (CNS)