India-Pakistan talks must to end Kashmir bloodshed: Mehbooba Mufti

“Until India and Pakistan engage in a meaningful dialogue on the lines of the peace efforts initiated by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the situation will only worsen,” Mehbooba Mufti said.

Former Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said dialogue between India and Pakistan was essential to establish peace and stability in Kashmir.

Ms. Mufti, who visited the family of the doctor who was killed in the Gagangeer attack on October 20 in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal, said, “Until India and Pakistan engage in a meaningful dialogue on the lines of the peace efforts initiated by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, the situation will only worsen.”

Calling for “a swift dialogue with Pakistan to stop the bloodshed in J&K”, Ms. Mufti said the prolonged enmity between India and Pakistan has only “made people of Kashmir pay a cost”. 

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“Not only people of Kashmir, even the property and livelihoods have been devastated. Poor labourers and even doctors, who have served the community with dedication, have become victims of this hostility,” Ms. Mufti said.

On the recent statement of National Conference president Farooq Abdullah advocating against any dialogue with Pakistan, Ms. Mufti said, “Those who advocated dialogue with Pakistan have now changed their stance. The fact remains that as long as these two nations are at odds, the people of J&K will continue to be crushed.”

Published - October 23, 2024 11:44 pm IST