Former J&K Chief Minister and the National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said he was hopeful of the resolution of Kashmir as he was witnessing a change in the mindset of Indian and Pakistani leaders.
“I am quite confident that time has come and that is why probably God has kept me alive to see solution emerging to this problem of our state. I hope we have peace which we all want,” Abdullah told reporters on the side-lines of a function in Srinagar. “I see a change in the approach of the leaders of India and Pakistan”.
The NC president said he wanted to walk freely without any security in the valley.
“My daughters and my friends and my colleagues and people in this state want peace. People want to go about their lives without everyday tragedies,” said Abdullah. “I hope it will happen and I hope you all will pray for this that we have that situation”.
Abdullah, however, said there was conspiracy to weaken J&K Bank and tbat the centre always wanted it to be taken over by the state government.
“The efforts to take over the J&K Bank have been in pipeline for a long time. They didn’t succeed so far but now with the state under the Governors rule, a fresh attempt is being made to take it over,” Abdullah said.
He claimed that a plan to withdraw J&K Bank’s autonomy existed even at the time he was the Chief Minister.
“When I was the CM and J&K Bank was doing well. I remember then I was at the office of Home Minister L K Advani along with deputy chairman planning commission and they were saying the bank is not doing well and it should be taken over,” Abdullah said.
“Luckily a daily from Mumbai had published a complete report on this bank which highlighted how good it was. I sent those reports to them later and I am happy that the deputy chairman planning commission called me and said he had been fed wrong information,” he said.
