Srinagar: Farooq Abdullah, the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday, said that in the absence of political dialogue, Jammu and Kashmir will meet the same fate as Gaza, according to a report by ANI.
The National Conference president also urged the leaders of both India and Pakistan to find a solution to their bilateral issues through dialogue.
“(Late former prime minister) Atal Bihari Vajpayee had said that we can change our friends but not our neighbours. If we remain friendly with our neighbours, both will progress," Abdullah was quoted as saying by ANI.
Abdullah pointed out Prime Minister Narendra Modi's view that “war is not an option now" and “the matter should be resolved through dialogue".
“Where is the dialogue? Nawaz Sharif is about to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan, and they are saying that we are ready to talk (with India), but what is the reason why we are not ready to talk?" Abdullah asked.
“If we do not find a solution through dialogue, we (Kashmir) will meet the same fate as Gaza and Palestine, which are being bombed by Israel...," he warned.
His comments came days after four Indian troopers were killed in a militant ambush attack on a military convoy in Pir Panchal’s Poonch sector followed by civilian killing.
In 1999, former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited Pakistan just a few months before the Kargil War began.
In 2015, PM Modi during a surprise visit to Pakistan held a meeting with Nawaz Sharif.