INDIA, PAKISTAN ARE NOT ON THE BRINK OF WAR, SAYS OMAR

NEW YORK: Former chief minister Omar Abdullah does not see an imminent war looming between India and Pakistan despite the heightened tensions along the LoC and believes the two countries are a “lot more careful” about the prospect of war than some of the news channels would like them to be.

“I don’t believe we are,” Abdullah said when asked whether India and Pakistan are at the brink of war. “I am not one of those who sees imminent war looming in the sub-continent. I’d like to believe that both governments in New Delhi and Islamabad are a lot more careful about the prospect of war than perhaps some of our TV channels would like them to be,” he said at a conference titled ‘India and Pakistan: A Subcontinental Affair’ organized by the students of New York University here on Friday.

There were several moments of animated discussions during Abdullah’s nearly hour-long discussion with the gathering, that included students from both India and Pakistan.

Abdullah said while there is tension along the Line of Control (LoC) and the ceasefire is “under a bit more pressure” than it was at the same time last year, India and Pakistan are not at the brink of war.

Abdullah noted that the government of India has been very careful “in moderating how it has sold” to the rest of the world the surgical strikes conducted across the LoC.