India lacks courage to take Kashmir from Pakistan, says ex-CM IoK

SRINAGAR/KARACHI: Former chief minister of Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK) Farooq Abdullah Friday said that India lacked the courage to take Kashmir from Pakistan, adding that talks were the only way to resolved the longstanding dispute between the two countries.

Speaking at a rally in Kishtwar, IoK, Farooq Abdullah maintained that war was no solution to an issue, and to resolve the Kashmir dispute Pakistan and India will have to hold talks.

"Kashmir is not the personal property of India so that it could make a claim over it like an inherited property of forefathers," he said.

"Pakistan is one of the stakeholders (of the Kashmir issue) which even the government of India has accepted," the former CM of occupied Jammu and Kashmir said, adding that the government will have no option but to start talks with Pakistan so that the atrocities being suffered by the Kashmiri people could come to an end.

“War cannot bring solution, talks can,” he added.

Tensions between India and Pakistan have soared to an all-time high over atrocities in occupied Kashmir, and continuous violation of the ceasefire agreement by the Indian along the LoC and the Working Boundary.

The use of brute force by Indian forces has resulted in the martyrdom of the over 150 innocent Kashmiris, besides serious injuries inflicted to thousands others in occupied valley.

The aggressive posturing and continuing unprovoked fire by India has resulted in martyrdom of a number of Pakistani civilians and military troops in past three months.

Earlier today, India once again unveiled its ugly face as its premier Narendra Modi threatened to stop water flowing into Pakistan.

He said this water would be used to cater needs of farmers in India.