Interlocutor’s meeting with people ‘just a formality’: Farooq 

Kathua: National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah on Sunday meetings of New Delhi’s Special Representative Dineshwar Sharma with people are just a formality.

“What happened to the reports formulated by the earlier interlocutors including the present Governor of the State? The meetings of interlocutor with people are just a formality and the peace will emerge only when sincere and serious efforts are made,” Farooq, former 3-time Chief minister of the state, said.

He added: “There were talks about ‘out of box solution’ to the problems and if any forward movement had taken place in this regard, the scenario would have been quite different now.”

Farooq also expressed grave concern over “worsening” security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, saying the claims of peace are falling flat on the face of spurt in killings.

 “Yet another Jawan has been abducted and killed,” Farooq and attributed the grim security scenario to infiltration of militants from across the border.

“The Centre will have to frame up its response vis-à-vis Pakistan for larger interest of peace in the region. All the problems are originating from across the border and the life of border dwellers is pitiable due to intermittent shelling,” he said, adding that the nation should be taken into confidence as to how the Centre was sorting out issues with the neighbouring country.

To a question about his statement over Pakistan administered Kashmir, He reiterated that it was the “only realistic solution to herald a new era of peace and trust in the region.”

He said conversion of Line of Control into line of peace will improve the conditions of people on both the sides and promote people to people exchange that will generate a lot of goodwill.