Mehbooba Mufti Rejects Farooq Abdullah’s Suggestion of Third Party Intervention to Solve Kashmir Issue

Srinagar, July 22: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday rejected National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah’s suggestion of third party mediation to resolve the Kashmir issue with Pakistan. Mehbooba Mufti said US and China should not interfere in Kashmir. The Chief Minister reminded how third party intervention led to massive destruction in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

“America, China apne kaam sambhaley. Humein aapas mein mil kar baat karni hai to America, Turkistan aur English-tan kya karega humara (US and China should look into their own affairs, we (India and Pak) should talk to each other to resolve our matters,” said Mehbooba Mufti. “What is the situation in Syria, Afghanistan and Iraq today? Does Farooq sahab wants same thing to happen to us?” asked the Chief Minister.

Mehbooba Mufti’s comment came in reference to Farooq Abdullah’s suggestion that India should take the help of “friends” to resolve Kashmir issue. “The way out is through dialogue. Use your friends… Use them for dialogue to resolve the issue,” he told reporters outside Parliament. Asked if he meant that a “third party” should be involved, Abdullah said, “(US President) Donald Trump has said he wants to settle the Kashmir problem. We did not ask him for it (help). China has also said it wants to mediate in Kashmir … We are not saying (that we) hand over things to them.”

The BJP, Congress and Shiv Sena slammed Farooq Abdullah for his suggestion of third party mediation to resolve the Kashmir issue. “Abdullah must stop advancing Pakistan’s fake nuclear blackmail. Out of power, Abdullah is speaking the language of separatists and of Pakistan. His flip-flops on Kashmir reek of hypocrisy,” BJP spokesperson G V L Narsimha Rao said.

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi too flayed any attempt for third party intervention to resolve the issue, saying “Kashmir is India”. “It is being said there should be discussion on Kashmir with China and Pakistan but my opinion is that Kashmir is India and India is Kashmir and this is our internal matter. Our internal business and no one should interfere in it,” Rahul Gandhi said.