Amid the tension along the Line of Control (LoC) and the border escalated after the Army carried out pre-dawn “surgical strikes”, politicians in the J&K called for restraint and said war is not an option for either country.

The Valley Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti said that, “New Delhi and Islamabad must open channels of communication and realize the dangerous consequences of any escalation of the ongoing confrontation along the border.”

“War is never an option to resolve issues. The future of the troubled region has to be defined by common economic interests instead of hostilities confrontation could lead to a disaster of epic proportions if urgent steps are not taken.”

Calling for de-escalation on the border, Mehbooba said that, “The people of Jammu and Kashmir have the greatest stake in peace as they have undergone enormous tragedy because of the blood-spattered violence in the state. There is no alternative to talks.”

The former chief minister Farooq Abdullah said while expressing concern over the “alarming situation” along the LoC, that, “We hope cooler heads will prevail and the ceasefire of 2003 will be upheld. Our thoughts are with the people living along the Line of Control and the International Border they suffer the most in times of such escalation.”

“Confrontation and hostility between New Delhi and Islamabad have not yielded favourable results for either country in the past. All outstanding issues and concerns should be discussed with sincerity and (with) the common goal of achieving peace, stability and cooperation in the region,” Abdullah, president of main opposition National Conference said.

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Nandini