Farooq Abdullah seeks talks with Pakistan over border skirmishes

New Delhi [India], September 19 (ANI): National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said in Lok Sabha that there has been an increase in border skirmishes in Jammu and Kashmir and talks should be held with Pakistan.
Abdullah, who spoke during zero hour, thanked the members who had demanded his release when he was detained along with other political leaders after the government scrapped Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir was also bifurcated into two union territories last year.
The former Chief Minister said "there is no progress" in Jammu and Kashmir and said people were facing difficulties due to absence of 4G network. Abdullah said that children were also facing difficulties in their studies as "everything was on the internet".
He said border skirmishes are on the rise and people are dying and there is no solution except for talks.
"There is no alternative to talks with the neighbour for restoring peace in the region," he said, without naming Pakistan.
Abdullah, who is MP from Srinagar, said India was also talking to China over the border situation in Ladakh.
He also referred to reports that an inquiry by Army had found "prima face evidence" that the Armed Forces (Jammu and Kashmir) Special Powers Act was exceeded during an anti-terror operation in Shopian earlier this year.
"The Army has agreed that the three persons who were killed in Shopian were killed by mistake and the government should provide a huge compensation in this case," Abdullah said. (ANI)