Srinagar: Asserting that Kashmir was an outstanding issue requiring a political solution, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said a dialogue process to address the external and internal dimensions needs to be started to resolve the matter.
"It (Kashmir) is an outstanding issue which needs to be resolved. It is a political issue and cannot be addressed through development, employment or good governance only," Omar said winding up the two-day debate in the state Assembly on the prevailing law and order situation in Kashmir.
Maintaining that separatists alone did not hold key to the resolution of the issue, he, however, said talks have to be initiated with them also.
"It is an issue between India and Pakistan in which Jammu and Kashmir was getting smashed in between. An external dialogue process has also to be started," he said.
The Chief Minister said nobody has been claiming that the talks should be focused on Kashmir only. "People from Jammu, Ladakh and Kargil, besides the Valley have to be involved in the settlement process and a solution acceptable to them and our neighbours (Pakistan) has to be found."
Apparently referring to the BJP stand that there was no dispute to be resolved with regard to Jammu and Kashmir, Omar said if that would have been the case, there would have been no need for Simla agreement, Lahore declaration and talks in Agra and Delhi.
"It is clearly mentioned in Simla agreement that India and Pakistan will resolve all outstanding issues, including Kashmir through bilateral talks," he added.
The Chief Minister also sought to counter the opposition charges that the ongoing unrest was due to the governance problems.
"Development, employment, road, health care, electricity and water are not going to resolve this issue. It will still be there," he said.
"If I am a useless Chief Minister then every part of the state should be on fire and protesting. Effigies of me and my colleagues should have been burnt in Jammu and Ladakh," he added.
Reacting to the calls for his resignation, he said if his stepping down would resolve the Kashmir issue, he and his council of ministers will not stay in power for a minute.
"Kashmir issue is bigger than the government and even bigger than this Assembly. We can only facilitate," he said.
Comments
0 comment