No US, China intervention on K-issue: CM

Our Correspondent

Anantnag, July 22

Asserting that bilateral talks were the only solution to the Kashmir issue, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today termed the idea of a US intervention in the Valley as too “far-fetched” and that such intervention at other places has brought nothing but destruction.

She was reacting to a question regarding National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah’s remark advocating an intervention by “friends,” like US and China, to resolve the Kashmir issue.

“It’s a far-fetched idea. We have examples of Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria before us where a US intervention has brought nothing but destruction. We do not want the same to be replicated in Kashmir,” Mehbooba told mediapersons in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district.

She was on a one-day visit to the district to take stock of various developmental works.

Mehbooba added that China had its own “issues” to take care of as well.

“Farooq saheb has a peculiar style. He once advocated bombardment of Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir issue,” she said.

Quoting the examples of the Simla agreement and the Lahore declaration, the Chief Minister said a road map for bilateral ties was already there and it just needed to be followed.

“We can resolve the Kashmir issue only through bilateral talks. Besides, better terms with our neighbours will help us tackle poverty and corruption better,” she said. She saidthat too many resources went into procurement of war machinery and the human cost on both sides of the border was too huge to be ignored.