Udhampur: National Conference President Farooq Abdullah Sunday stressed the need for a thaw in the relations between India and Pakistan, saying this will hugely benefit the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Hostilities on borders bring only agonies and miseries to the dwellers, halt agriculture and economic activities, and impact the way of life of every segment of society”, Abdullah said while addressing party workers here this afternoon.
Referring to recent reiteration by both countries to abide by ceasefire agreement in letter and spirit, he said J&K people wish and pray for success of this measure as it will bring some sort of relief to them. “Peace is in the larger interest of the region, especially as the people of the two countries have been yearning for good relations.”
Invoking the words of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee that “you can change your friends but not your neighbours”, Abdullah said either the two countries have to grow friendship and prosper or continue the enmity and then there will be no prosperity.
The NC president said Article 370 was not just a Kashmir-centric issue but it was as much important to regions of Jammu and Ladakh as well. “To save the people, especially those of Jammu from the hegemony of the elite and affluent from the neighbouring states, Maharaja Hari Singh brought the law in 1927.”
