The Hindu : War only the last option: Farooq

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 21, 2002

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War only the last option: Farooq

By Our Correspondent

SAMBA (Jammu) MAY 20. The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, today said that India did not want a war with Pakistan but the problem was that Islamabad did not understand the language of dialogue and negotiation. In a departure from his earlier statements, he told reporters during his visit to the migrant camps here this afternoon, that ``war will only be the last option.''

India had to decide once for all whether it would allow its citizens to be at the mercy of the terrorists. The leadership of the country should apprise the world community immediately that the limits of our patience had been reached. Dr. Abdullah said the world community should ``leave it to us to take appropriate action on our own''.

Expressing concern over the largescale border migration, he said the condition of the migrants was uncertain and blamed Pakistan for their miseries. The State Government was fully aware of the migrants' condition and the Prime Minister would be apprised of their plight, when he visited the State. Dr. Abdullah, accompanied by the Governor, G.C. Sexana, visited forward villages in the Samba sector severely affected by the exchange of fire for the last few days. They also visited the SIDCO complex in which 400 families who have migrated are staying.

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War only the last option: Farooq