Indo-Pak failure to engage has lent weight to argument for mediation: Farooq

NC president Farooq Abdullah today said that New Delhi and Islamabad's failure to engage with each other bilaterally on the Kashmir issue over the years had added weight to the argument for international mediation.

He was reacting to the US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley's statement that the Trump administration would try and "find its place" in efforts to de-escalate Indo-Pak tension.

New Delhi and Islamabad's failure to engage with each other bilaterally over the years had added weight to the argument for "international mediation", Abdullah said.

India cannot remain invested in the status-quo on the Kashmir Issue and all methods of engagement and facilitation could be explored in the quest for a lasting resolution,he added.

People of Kashmir are not striving for a tunnel or economic packages but for a fair and acceptable solution to the vexed political issue, Abdullah said.

The National Conference (NC) has always advocated bilateral engagement between New Delhi and Islamabad on the Kashmir Issue but unfortunately whatever rare efforts were made to engage bilaterally failed to yield any concrete results, he said.

The NC leader said to think that New Delhi can afford to remain invested in the status quo on the Kashmir issue is wrong.

"New Delhi is obligated to be proactive in seeking a just, fair and acceptable solution to the Kashmir Issue and had they been forthcoming and keen in talking bilaterally, the question of international mediation would not have been raised today," Abdullah said.

He asked India and Pakistan to realise their responsibility in "rescuing the tormented and suffering" people of Kashmir from the throes of "uncertainty and pain".

"The people of Kashmir have not been striving for a tunnel or for economic packages but for a just, fair and acceptable solution to the vexed political issue as per their aspirations," the NC President said.

Seeking unity among all stakeholders in Kashmir, Abdullah asked divided quarters to unite in the quest for resolving the political issue.

"Every conscientious individual and organisation in Kashmir – whether mainstream or separatist – should have the ultimate aim of facilitating a resolution of the political issue to give relief, hope and peace to our people," he said.

Abdullah claimed that unfortunately, rather than bringing everyone together, various forces have chosen to fragment organisations and conglomerates under an operational policy to perpetuate confusion, chaos and contradictions in Kashmir.

"Today I ask all these organisations to come together guided by the common goal of working for the interests of our people and our State above political and ideological divides," Abdullah said.