India does not have power to 'retrieve' PoK: Farooq Abdullah

Former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah today defended his assertion that "PoK is part of Pakistan and will remain with it", saying neither New Delhi has the power to retrieve that side of the divided line, nor would Islamabad be able to take this part of Kashmir.

"After doing politics all these years, I do not see that we have the power to retrieve that (PoK) or they (Pakistan) can retrieve this (J-K)," Abdullah, who is also the president of opposition National Conference (NC), told reporters here.

He said by that formula Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir(PoK) "will become Pakistan's region with the similar autonomy  that we have and by that then the borders will become easy and everybody from here can have access to that place and  everybody from that Kashmir can have access to this place".

"So, we can trade, our boys can marry girls from there  and their boys can marry girls from here. It will be, you  know, like a joint a joint family. That will settle many of  problems of India and Pakistan.

"Once this is acceptable, then we will not need all the troops here and they will not need to put all the troops there. And we will have a happy situation," he said.

Abdullah said the only "trouble" with that solution is  that the "shops of those who want the situation in Jammu and  Kashmir to remain as such will close down."

"They are surviving because of the division and their  shops will close once there is a solution," he said, referring to those who criticised his remarks.

Reacting to the criticism of the BJP, the former Union  Minister said it was a suggestion put forth by former Prime  Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who belonged to the BJP.

"Vajpayee went to Pakistan via bus and he spoke to  (Pakistan Prime Minister) Nawaz Sharif. He suggested him to  keep that (PoK) and we will keep this (J-K).

"He was BJP PM, was he notIJ When he gave this suggestion then, why are they (BJP) enraged nowIJ If they have any other solution and they think they can occupy that (PoK) by military might, why are they not doing that thenIJ" Abdullah asked.

Abdullah said his party would support any other solution which could help in creating good relations between India and  Pakistan.

"I believe if there is any other solution which can  create good relations among Jammu, Kashmir, ladakh and India  and Pakistan, NC has no problem in accepting that. I have said this earlier several years ago and I will continue saying this," he said.

The NC president said dialogue is the only option to  address all issues.

"Dialogue is the only solution. There is no other  solution. We have had so many wars, did that solve our  problemsIJ Is there any other way by which you think there will be a solution. I do not see it," he said.

He said Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan have  realised that there is no alternative to dialogue.

"Now after my remarks, what happened by the God's  grace. India and Pakistan premiers met in Paris with love. It is because there is no other solution (than dialogue)," he  said.

He said it is the people of Kashmir on both sides who  are dying because of the situation. "One explosion here and tourism disappears. What industries we have here. Shopkeepers, houseboats, hotels are sitting idle, there is no business.

"They have the fear of terrorism. When will this endIJ When will we sleep at easeIJ" he said.

Abdullah said he was a free citizen and would not  apologise to anyone over his remarks.

"I am not going to apologize to anybody, I am a free  citizen of this country and as a free citizen I put my view. What will Farooq Abdullah say if anyone is enragedIJ" he said.

He said the PDP-BJP coalition was "lying" to the people of the state about the financial package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the development of the state.

"The previous government sought Rs 44,000 crore package for rehabilitation of flood victims.

"Now, what will the people get from Rs 8,000 crore (meant for flood victims)IJ Will it solve their problemsIJ Where is Rs 80,000 croreIJ How much is for roads, railways in that packageIJ How much is for powerIJ What have the people of Kashmir gotIJ They are just lying," he asked.