INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Former Union minister and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abduallah on Saturday said if we are holding talks with China for
disengagement of troops on the LAC, we should also hold talks with Pakistan to resolve issues that are pending between the two
countries.Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Farooq Abdullah said, "Today, India is planning to hold talks with China for disengagement
We should also start talks with Pakistan to resolve pending issues."The National Conference president was speaking in Parliament for the
first time since his release from detention."Border skirmishes have been rising and people are dyingA way has to be found to deal with this
Except for talksAs you are talking to China to attempt that it withdraws (from Ladakh border), we should also talk to our (other) neighbour
to find a way to get out of this situation," Abdullah said in his speech amid protests from treasury benches.The Srinagar MP also expressed
his happiness at the findings of an Army inquiry into the killings of three men in Shopian in an encounter."I am happy that the Army has
admitted that three Shopian men were killed mistakenly
I hope the government gives a hefty compensation," he said.Officials had said on Friday the Army has found "prima facie" evidence that its
troops "exceeded" powers under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act during the encounter in July and has initiated disciplinary
proceedings.Abdullah said Jammu and Kashmir has not seen any progress and spoke about authorities blocking 4G facilities in the Union
Territory which, he added, goes against the interest of students and traders.He also conveyed his gratitude to parliamentarians for speaking
for him when he was under detention.Farooq Abdullah and many other leaders were put under detention by authorities last year after the Union
government abrogated Article 370, which had given special powers to the erstwhile state, and split Jammu and Kashmir into two union
territories.He was released in March this year.(With PTI inputs) | We are not anyone's puppets: Farooq Abdullah's retort to Pakistan |
Freedom is still not complete: Farooq Abdullah
