Jammu: Former three-time Chief Minister and National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said that it was time for both India and Pakistan to stop bloodshed even as he described him himself too small a person to suggest anything to Prime Minister of India on mode of dialogue with the 
Islamabad.
“Unless both India and Pakistan find a way out, away from this (border shelling and killings), people on both sides will continue to suffer and many will die. Many of our soldiers will also die and a similar situation will be on their side,” Farooq, who is incumbent parliamentarian from central Kashmir constituency, he said. “The Government of India must find a way forward. What that way forward is, is up to the Prime Minister to decide. I am too small to suggest anything to him. But I will say the same thing to the Pakistani side, to the premier of that side. The time has come when this bloodshed must stop, and peace must be restored on the border and in the state here as well as in the area they hold on their side,” the former chief minister told reporters at the sidelines of a function.
In response to a question about heavy Pakistani shelling along the Line of Control (LoC) in Uri sector of north Kashmir, he said the shelling was not one sided but going on from both sides. “They are shelling us and we are shelling them back. They shell us one percent, we shell them 10 percent as army chief has said,” he said.
To another question about reported targeting of civilians by Pakistani army, Farooq said: “A bomb does not know where it is going to fall. The shelling is resorted to frighten the people,” he said. Asked about amnesty granted by the state government to youth accused of stone pelting, the Farooq said those released should realise that the time has come when they have to think of their careers and how to take the state out of turmoil. “We are a tourist state and no tourist will come if there is turmoil. People will suffer, they will continue to suffer and in the long run it will be the state that will become backward,”he said.
Earlier, Farooq expressed concern over divisive forces getting centre-stage in polity, saying dividing people on religious basis was dangerous for unity.
“We must guard against all such machinations that divide the people on religion or caste”, Dr Farooq Abdullah said while addressing youth at a function organized by “Jansewa Ka Ek Avloken”, as part of its anniversary celebrations.
Farooq called for collective effort in promoting harmony and lamented over attempts of creating wedge between various segments of society as part of vote politics and said this will prove detrimental to the overall interests of the country.
He cautioned those poisoning young minds by creating fears about religion being in danger and said no religion had any threat. “If there is actually any problem to anyone, it is the divisive politicians, who run their political enterprise by exploiting religion.”
He asked the youth to fight for their rights and assert their position as proud citizens of India, which belonged to all, irrespective of region, religion or caste.
He exhorted youth to work for forging unity among believers of various religions, saying no religion spreads hate and those hiding behind it to divide the people need to be isolated.
