National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah favours talks with Pakistan for peace at borders

PTI photo

NEW DELHI: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah attended the Monsoon Session of Parliament on Saturday (September 19), after more than a year since the special status to Jammu and Kashmir under Article 370 was abrogated on August 5, 2019. 

During his address in Lok Sabha, Farooq advocated talks with Pakistan, saying if India can hold talks with China to resolve border skirmish issues on the Line of Actual Control (LAC), it can also speak to its other neighbour to deal with the situation at Jammu and Kashmir borders. 

"Border skirmishes have been rising and people are dying... A way has to be found to deal with this. Except for talks... As 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," Farooq said in Lok Sabha during the Zero Hour amid protests from treasury benches. He was speaking at Parliament for the first time since his release from detention.

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 hefty compensation," he said.

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 interests of students and traders. He also conveyed his gratitude to parliamentarians for speaking for him while he was in detention.

Abdullah and many other leaders were put under detention by authorities last year after the union government abrogated Article 370, which gave 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)