MUFTI: KASHMIR TO BECOME SYRIA IF US INTERVENES

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday rebuked National Conference president Farooq Abdullah’s remarks on Kashmir and said that the situation in the Valley would be same as Syria if America intervenes. “We all know what is the situation of the countries wherever they intervened be it Afghanistan, Syria or Iraq,” Mehbooba said.

SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti dismissed the suggestion of senior National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah that India should approach third parties — such as the US and China — to mediate the Kashmir dispute with Pakistan.

Mehbooba said the dialogue must be held between India and Pakistan.

“I think we have a map: despite wars we have to talk to each other; India and Pakistan. We have done Lahore Declaration and Shimla Agreement. We need to sit together and talk,” she told the media.

Kashmir has been a festering dispute between India and Pakistan since shortly after their Independence.

“Let America and China mind their businesses. We know wherever America intervened; see (what has happened) in Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq. China has its own knotty issues to solve in Tibet,” she said, suggesting that such intervention usually leads to a worse outcome.

“What will America, Turkistan or Englistan (England) do for us? There are many bigger issues across the world, which have worsened. What happened in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq? God forbid, (but) does Farooq sahab want the same thing happen to us?” she said.

MESSAGE FOR PRESS

The Jammu and Kashmir CM said on Friday that the press needs to ensure correct portrayal of happenings in the state and alleged that a section of media was “alienating” people of J&K by indulging in reportage which was “far from reality”.