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vi S Singh
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, December 13
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for having taken an initiative to improve ties with Pakistan which, however, did not respond positively.
Speaking at a national conclave, he said Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan would have to infuse confidence regarding this intention of friendly relationship with India.
The theme of the conclave, organised by media house Lokmat, was “Challenge of Regional Parties in National Polity”. Former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah was also present on the occasion.
The National Conference leader said Modi had invited then Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif as a guest for his swearing-in ceremony and later also visited the neighbouring country.
“He got a negative response from Pakistan,” Omar said, adding, “it takes two hands to clap”.
“Each time India takes a step forward, negative incidents are created from across the border. This takes the whole process four steps backwards,” he said.
Pakistan has not addressed India’s concerns on terror, Omar said while referring to the release of a postal stamp on slain militant Burhan Wani by the Pakistan government.
With regard to politics in Jammu and Kashmir, he apprehended the ruling dispensation at the Centre might delay fresh elections in the state following the BJP’s electoral defeats in the Hindi heartland.
He said this time the people of Jammu and Kashmir would give a decisive mandate to any political group in the interest of stability as they have learnt the lesson of a fractured mandate in the last Assembly election.
Regarding the performance of the Congress in the recent elections, Omar said Rahul Gandhi had established himself as a leader with the victories. Claiming that coalitions in the country’s politics could not be without national parties as their nucleus, he batted for the Congress heading a non-BJP coalition in the next general election.
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