Srinagar, October 25 : Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) chief Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday strongly disagreed with National Conference president Farooq Abdullah’s reported remarks that Pakistan had kept the Kashmir issue alive and that there was no hope from Delhi.
Respecting Abdullah personally, Azad said he believed the statement was incorrect and asserted that Pakistan had been responsible for decades of violence and instability in Jammu and Kashmir.
“I respect Farooq Sahab, but this statement is absolutely wrong,” Azad told reporters, alleging that Pakistan had attempted to spread terrorism in the region and capture parts of Jammu and Kashmir since 1947.
Referring to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Azad claimed that people there wanted freedom from Pakistan and wished to join India.
He also blamed Pakistan for the loss of young lives, the suffering of women widowed by militancy, and the displacement of Kashmiri Pandits and Muslim families during the prolonged conflict.
Azad further defended successive governments at the Centre, saying they had contributed significantly to Jammu and Kashmir’s development through infrastructure projects, including roads, tunnels, four-lane highways and railway connectivity.
He cited the tenures of former Prime Ministers Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Manmohan Singh, along with the current government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while arguing that successive administrations had prioritised the region’s progress.
“Whatever development has taken place in Jammu and Kashmir is only because of the Government of India,” he said.
Azad also stressed that political differences with a ruling party should not be confused with opposition to the country or its people. He said his disagreements with the BJP and the government were political in nature and did not mean he believed India or Delhi intended to harm Jammu and Kashmir.
“I completely disagree with the idea that India or Delhi will finish us off,” he said.
When asked about the political controversy surrounding Abdullah’s remarks, Azad declined to get involved in the dispute between the BJP and the National Conference, saying both parties could continue their political differences.
“I don’t want to get into that right now; I have my own views. Let BJP and NC fight it out among themselves,” he added.
