Dear reader, online ads enable us to deliver the journalism you value. Please support us by taking a moment to
Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday called on India to 'wake up', and warned New Delhi that: "You are losing Kashmir."
In a stinging interview with IndiaToday, Abdullah, who is contesting by-polls in Srinagar, urged India and Pakistan to hold talks to beat the threat of terrorism.
"Whether you like it or not, you have to talk to Pakistan. If you want to beat the threat of the terrorists, then you better start talking now," he said, apparently addressing the Indian government.
"You better wake up, and start thinking on not a military solution, but a political way," he said, cautioning the government against the use of force in India-held Kashmir. "And come down from your high horses... I am seeing a very bad situation," he said.
"The youth is on boil, which I have not seen before," he said.
Abdullah, who served as the chief minister of India-held Jammu and Kashmir from 1982 to 1984, also held Pakistan partially responsible for the situation in Kashmir.
"The situation is quite bad, and don't tell me Pakistan is not a party to this problem," he added.
The National Conference chief urged all stakeholders to "start mending our fences and start controlling the present problem."
"Let's talk to the youth, Hurriyat, other leaders, and come to a solution," he reasoned.
In the latest surge of violence in India-held Kashmir, at least six people were killed and more than two dozen injured on April 9, when police clashed with protesters during a by-election in Srinagar in India-held Kashmir region.
Suspected separatist factions in Kashmir had called for a boycott of the vote, resulting in heightened security and low voter turnout when the polling began.
The former minister's words follow a day after Pakistan handed the death sentence to Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, and an Indian campaign to 'diplomatically isolate' Pakistan by terming it a 'sponsor of terrorism' in the backdrop.
Both countries have locked horns over the Kashmir issue since Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani was killed by government forces in July 2016.
Violent protests raged in held Kashmir after Wani's murder, and Indian forces stepped up a crackdown against protesters to quell the dissent, also imposing a curfew in the region for months.
The frequency of ceasefire violations along the Line of Control has also risen since the second half of 2016. Exchanges of fire across the border have been reported sporadically since the new year began.
Comments (78) Closed
We need focus on our country first!
It's a wake up call for India and the world at large.
Violent ways never succeeds.
"Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday called on India to 'wake up', and warned New Delhi that: "You are losing Kashmir."
The time for indigenous peaceful settlement of Kashmir issue has long gone, India has no option on Kashmir now. The Kashmiris have rejected India.
@Junaid Kashmiris are our own.. Kashmir belongs to Pakistan ..
Kashmir belongs to Pakistan
Sane voice.India needs to wake up from her slumber.
Kashmir is Jugular vein of Pakistan. Kashmir banega Pakistan
Mr. Abdullah what are you talking about? India have already lost Kashmir. 7% votes depict the true picture of Kashmiris denial of the Indian illegal occupation of Kashmir.
Pakistan will take Kashmir ...and nobody can change that. Period
Bravo; well said, well done, Abdullah. Kashmir will be liberated soon.
Woh....best of luck pakistan, please prepare warm welcome party for Kashmiris
He Is no one in India. And down with Congress Dynasty.
We have listened to this rhetoric since last 70 years.
He has lost election in kashmir.!! so.. showing is desperation!
He is not in power these days. To get back the power, he is issuing such statements and a man supported by Congress and has no say in the Government of India.
Kashmiri people have rejected india and want to live with Pakistan.
In power he is loyal to India and when out of power is disloyal to India and criticizes the central government.
He will do anything to comeback to power.
@Faisal that was due the curfew between separatist groups and the police... Everyone's life is precious to them
The old man has lost him mind long back and is ignored by everyone ....he wants to stay relevant by making such statements
@ JUNAID, Well, the guy is from Kashmir. So, its his country no matter if it is part of Pakistan or India.
@nadir baloach good luck bro!!
Now or later, we have to give importance to opinion of Kashmiries. It is now up to Pakistan and India to resolve the matter through diplomacy or the other way around.
Farooq Sir elections are over.
Not far when Kashmir will be an independent entity of Pakistan soon. My Kashmiri brothers and sisters, hang on in there, your day of freedom is very near. This is in no way rubbing it my Indian friends faces, but you have to realise that you have lost that territory, they raise the Pak flag above their houses, they follow the Pak cricket team, and they get penalised by the Indian forces. With CPEC and the benefit it is also bringing to Pakistan other provinces, Kashmiris see their future within the constitution of Pakistan, albeit an independent entity.
it was never yours to start with
India never had the hearts and minds of the Kashmiris to begin whith who wanted and still want their Muslim majority state to join their mother "Muslim Indian" country of Pakistan.
Entire Kashmir is an intregal part of India.
India its Army and Sanghi cannot win the hearts of the people of Kashmir. These three can suppress the sentiments, crushed the people, kill the teenage, commit the serious Human Rights violation but still India and its Army forces cannot extinguish the fire of independence which is still burning in the hearts of Kashmiri people.
But Sir, you have already lost and you are sitting in opposition. This is bothering you and you can go to any extent to come back to power.
For the first time he has spoken the truth. Hindustan should give right of self determination to the Kashmiris.
Well said sir. It's high time for India to reconsider her policies towards kashmiri and neighbors
India's integral part is in constant trouble.
Farooq is loosing an election that is all.
He's a former Chief Minister don't take his words ... the people ejected him long ago. His words mean nothing.
Dear losing leader you and your master party congress both have lost India. Pl keep quite and watch the show.
Farooq Abdullah is correct,must be listened to. Follow the lines of East Temor solution by UN. And that's the best viable solution.
While in power, both father and son said; "Kashmir is a new integral part of India". When they are out of power, they start saying ; "All that Kashmir wants is independence".
Reason for Kashmiri's suffereing is neither India, nor Pakistan. It is their own leaders who keeps flaring their sentiments for the want of power. If they themselves don't care about development, how can Kashmiris expect India or Pakistan to help them?
'Wake up. You are losing Kashmir." Is the stinging warning to India by no less than the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah . This warning best demonstrates that the People of Kashmir have effectively taken their destiny in their own hands. It is the best news for their freedom march towards the eventual just solution “for the people, by the people, of the people” of Kashmir by their own struggles. “Khud-ba-khud toot ke girti naheen zanjeer kabhi. ---. budly Jaati hey, badulti naheen taqdeer kabhi.” Pakistan, in all national and international forums, indeed, must continue providing clear, effective and well-deserved moral support for the just right of the People of Kashmir to decide their own future.
Kashmir is part of India and will remain so for ever , period.
He is saying all this because he is in the opposition and wants to start problems where there arent any.
@DK PAMNANI you want to say that he can get back to power correct dots by such statements that means he is saying what Kashmiris actually want read your comment again sir
Kashmir banayga Pakistan..the youths own words..
@Surya kant agrawal "But Sir, you have already lost and you are sitting in opposition. This is bothering you and you can go to any extent to come back to power"
You are right, but Pakistan will use Mr Abdullah's statement towards its own advantage. Burhan Vani's death anniversary is approaching fast. Kashmir will boil soon.
"The youth is on boil, which I have not seen before,"
For the first time Kashmiri youth have taken the ownership of their freedom struggle. With is significant shift, liberty is not too far for Kashmir. Spring is around the corner.
Yes we know he already lost Kashmir, nothing new.
@skai : Time to wake up brother, your 70 year dream of keeping Kashmiris tied to India by force is over.
Yes, things have gone very bad, need to change policies or it will lead to very unfortunate situation.
It come as conspiracy theory but i feel that this is handiwork of center government in India to arouse people sentiments and when in 2018 after having Rajya sabha majority push for revoking article 370. I am of view that this article should be revoke so that our kashmiri brothers can interact and live freely with other people. When someone lives within four walls they do not see how good or bad outside those walls.
i wonder how long india can keep up the illegal occupation over kashmir
Such a disgusting failure of UN, word leaders and so called human rights upholders
@Pady "violent ways never succeed"
When the whole nation is cornered by state using a million boots and peaceful protest is cracked down with barbaric force, what other way if left there? Please enlighten us with a solution.
@Ghaznavi don't ask him, he has been forced fed doctored mis information. He knows nothing else.
@skai "Kashmir is part of India and will remain so for ever , period" Your statement is true, but only for the land which is under Indian control. You can neither take what is in Pakistan, nor within China. The only solution is to make the LoC an international border. India can solve its claim with China in a bilateral agreement separately.
Kashmir belongs to no one but Kashmiris!
Kashmiri people deserve independence from India because it is clear that they do not wish to continue living under Indian occupation, but we need to focus on our country first before we are in a position to help Kashmiris. Our priorities needs to be in the right place
Just because Abdulla is loosing his political clout doesn't mean India is loosing Kashmir. It was and will always belong to us.
@Sky Hawk Friend, why is it then a separate PM sitting in Muzaffarabad?
Kashmir was not Republic of India's to begin with so these is nothing to lose. Kashmir belongs with her mother country Islamic Republic of Pakistan which gained independence for Muslim majority states of India.
I don't think Modi and co are listening to any sane voices. After the landslide victory in UP, Modi is emboldened to use the stick to resolve any issues. This will be disastrous for India in the long run but at the moment Modi and his supporters are too high on UP victory so they don't care. In the meantime Kashmiris suffer. Pakistan should approach this sensibly and echo Farooq Abdullah's warning and nudge India to come down from their high horse and negotiate a peaceful resolution before it's too late.
It's a win-win for Pakistan. If India talks then we have a peaceful resolution to Kashmir issue. If they don't then they will suffer at the end while we can watch them.
@Shahryar Shirazi where/why did China came into Kashmir ?
He is no more CM. His son Farookh Abdulla was almost defunct during floods. It was Modi and the Army who helped save several Kashmiri people.
So it's Kashmiri who will lose, India doesn't.
@Pady Then let them succeed without violence.
Neither India nor Pakistan can vanish out each other from the earth. Both are the facts. So what we can do that is the cooperation to solve the problem/issue through dialogue to prove both are civilized nations. Millions of people of two countries are living a life below to poverty lines.
@A.M. Khawar But Why are you happy?
@Sky Hawk : OMG !! You are so right!! I can't believe those idiotic Kashmiris do not know it and are not flocking to cross the border to Pak.... In view of type and nature of reactions and comments one can read here, I think there is first rate material in Pak for a PhD student to conduct a study on mass psychology in a somewhat illiterate and biased population . No offense meant.
@Khwarizmi Who said so. Looks like you and your cronies don't know history. Learn the correct history first before commenting.
@krishankant "It was Modi and the Army who helped save several Kashmiri people."
If killing 100's and maiming and blinding 1000's with banned pellet guns called saving then I hate to see how Indian army conducts violence.
@Abc : stop daydreaming. Be realistic.
@Sachin Kashmir never was and never will be Indian
Today it is Modiji, yesterday It was Manmohanji who was born in Pakistan stood for India and Kashmir. 1200 millians are behind them. A great nation marching with confidence, development, and respect. India is ahead in all aspects.
Freedom is only solution of Kashmir Unrest. Kashmiris from both side have right to determine their fate, whether they want to live with Pakistan or as an Independent state. Obviously India is not an option for them.
make him CM everything will be ok
The last time the government tried to talk to the Hurriyat but they even refused to open the door. It is high time India stops providing security cover for the Hurriyat leaders at the taxpayer's money.
@Pady Really, how do you think South Sudan was created?
@skai That is what the Brits said about India in the early 1900's.
India will not mind Loosing Him.
India has lost Kashmir long time ago this is illegal occupation.