Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) president Dr Farooq Abdullah stated on Tuesday that wars have never resolved any issues and that all problems can be addressed through dialogue.
Speaking to reporters at the Pahalgam tourist resort, Dr Abdullah said, “If I speak in favour of talks, I am labelled as a Pakistani or an American agent. I belong to this country, and this is my country. We have seen many wars, but no solutions have been reached through those wars. Be it Ukraine or Palestine or any other international problem, talks are the only way to reach a solution.”
He said the situation is very peaceful in Kashmir, and the air is pure and clean in places like Pahalgam.
“Come and enjoy the air and the beauty of this place. The situation is very peaceful, and while the temperature outside the Valley is 37 degrees Celsius, it is a soothing 25 degrees here," he said.
After an overnight stay in Pahalgam, Dr Farooq Abdullah played golf at the town’s scenic course on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, his son, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, chaired a special cabinet meeting in Pahalgam to reinforce that Jammu and Kashmir would not be intimidated by violence and terrorism. This was the first cabinet meeting held outside Srinagar or Jammu since he assumed office in October 2024, aimed at projecting Pahalgam as a peaceful destination open to tourism.
The chief minister also met local stakeholders to support efforts in reviving the region’s tourism industry, which has been struggling since the April 22 terror attack by Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT). The assault claimed 26 lives, including 25 tourists and a local resident, leaving Pahalgam deserted.
The attack sparked nationwide outrage, prompting the Indian Armed Forces to conduct precision-guided strikes against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
(inputs from IANS)