Farooq asks Centre to accept Pak offer of talks on Kashmir

Srinagar, Aug 19 (PTI) National Conference presidentFarooq Abdullah today asked the Centre to accept Pakistan’sinvitation for dialogue on Kashmir to resolve the "complexissue" for lasting peace in the region. "The central government should consider the Pakistaniinvite for dialogue on Kashmir as golden opportunity andextend its hand," said Abdullah, who is currently in London,in a statement issued here. The former Chief Minister asked the Centre to give upits "ego and rigidity", accept the Pakistani invitation andstart a "meaningful and solid" dialogue process to try find alasting solution to this long standing "complex problem" foran everlasting peace in the region. The former union minister, however, urged India andPakistan to involve Kashmiris from both sides in the dialougueprocess for its success. "Without participation of Kashmiris, the (success ofthe) dialogue is impossible. Therefore, India and Pakistanshould take into confidence the people on both sides ofKashmir before starting a meaningful dialogue," he said. He said the peace would return to Jammu and Kashmir inparticular and south Asian region in general only after theKashmir issue is treated as a "political issue" and India andPakistan initiate peace talks to resolve it "permanently". "As long as the two neighbouring countries continue todelay the resolution of this long standing issue, the lurkingthreat to peace will continue to haunt the region with eachpassing day," Abdullah said. Condemning the continued "curfew, restrictions andexcessive use of force" on people, he said "it is impossibleto restore peace in the valley by use of brute force". "Atrocities, bloodshed, indiscriminate and unjustifieduse of force, arrests, beating of people and ransacking ofhouses to suppress the people will only deteriorate thesituation further," he said, adding people around the globeare condemning and protesting over the happenings in Kashmir. He appealed to the Centre to put an immediate end to the"bloodshed and atrocities" and said "whatever is happening inKashmir is badly impacting the image of India and questionmarks are being put on the Indian claims of democracy". Abdullah also appealed to President Pranab Mukherjee tointervene and take necessary steps to stop "human rightsviolations" in the valley and make the state Governor andgovernment answerable. "The BJP coming to power has encouraged the forces whoare unleashing such atrocities on the people which have noexample in the past," he said, adding his party has forewarnedthe people about the happenings if the right wing party comesto power in the state. "The time has vindicated it," he said, adding "BJP’sbasic agenda is to revoke article 370 of the Constitution andchange the demography of the Muslim-majority state". PTI MIJTAAKK