Srinagar:
Terming Pakistan as a “failed state”, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah Thursday said relations between New Delhi and Islamabad would never improve until a peoples’ government is elected in the neighbouring country.
Speaking to reporters after a party event at the NC headquarters, he also said the people of Pakistan want friendship with India as he warned that war between the two countries would have dangerous consequences.
“There is tension, but I cannot say whether it is a final option or not. The rulers of the two countries have to decide that,” Mr Abdullah said when asked whether a war between India and Pakistan was the final option.
However, the former chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir said the relations between the two countries would improve only when the army “goes” and there is peoples’ government in Pakistan.
“I do not think the relations between India and Pakistan will ever improve unless the army goes. People of Pakistan want friendship with India, people but not the hierarchy there. When the peoples’ government will come, I am sure there will be peace between India and Pakistan,” he added.
Terming Pakistan a “failed state”, the NC president said rather than working for the betterment of the country, its people and to improve the situation, the rulers of the country have chosen confrontation with India to escape their responsibilities.
“The consequences will be dangerous if there is a war as both have nuclear power. If they use that, then only God know what will happen,” he warned.
Asserting that Kashmir was passing through “a difficult time”, Mr Abdullah said it cannot be predicted what the future holds.
“Both the countries are preparing to face each other in a battlefield. Efforts are being made across the globe that this (war) should not happen and some way is found to nab those behind the attack as well as their masterminds. How much will the world succeed in stopping this, only God knows,” he said.
Asked about deportations of Pakistani nationals, the former chief minister said the action was against humanity.
“On humanitarian grounds, I can say that this action is not good and is against the humanity. They have been living here for 70 years or 25 years or five years, they were here, their children were here, studying here. They have not hurt India. In fact, they have accepted India. So, this will not have good consequences,” he said.
To a question about the Centre’s announcement of a caste census in the country, Mr Abdullah said there was nothing wrong in that.
“People were demanding it from day one, it is not a new thing. It was demanded by the people. It is a good thing. Some say there are 11 or 12 crore Muslims, some 14 and some 22 crore.
“So, for the first time, we will come to know how many people there are Brahmin, how many are lower caste and how many are Muslims, Sikhs or Christians or others. Let us come to know. There is nothing wrong in that,” he added.
In response to a question about the reports of harassment of the residents of J-K outside the Union territory, Mr Abdullah said some people have a habit of harassing people but we should not fear those.
“Not only the government here, but the other governments also are seeing to it that it does not happen. There are people in our country that say things like that or do something like that. They are not concerned about what will happen in the country, they have a habit of harassing people.
“Was (Nathuram) Godse not from here (India) who killed Mahatama Gandhi? Such people are there, such people will be there, and we should not fear them,” he said.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
