'War not an option to resolve issues between India, Pakistan': PDP patron Mufti Sayeed

Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and patron of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Monday said that war should not be treated as an option to resolve the ongoing issues between India and Pakistan.

Sayeed said that there must not be any 'jingoistic' slogans of strong retaliation actions made from within the country, and added that his party would not support the war module to solve the India-Pakistan tensions.

"People's Democratic Party (PDP) wants to make it clear that it treats war as no option, not even the last. We have witnessed wars and suffered their consequences," he said.

He was also supportive of resuming peace talks between New Delhi and Islamabad to avoid the adverse impacts of the escalations of confrontations.

He further said that the Jammu and Kashmir crisis had no connection to the frequent ceasefire violations along the LoC.

"In my opinion, the border firing has nothing to do with the conflict around Kashmir because both countries realize that use of force cannot bring any change in the state. The issue has to be addressed politically and the two countries will have to respect the yearning for peace in J and K." he said.

The frontier posts in the Samba sector have repeatedly been the focus of Pakistani attack, as the ceasefire continues to be breached despite assurances from Prime Minister Sharif that his country wants peace and tranquility along the LoC.

Earlier on October 22, Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde reviewed the security situation in the wake of recent ceasefire violations along the LoC in the state.

Shinde and Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also visited the Hiranagar Police Station in Samba district, where, on September 26, five policemen were killed in a militant attack.

In the September 29 talks between Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif, both sides had agreed that improving the situation on the LoC is the 'precondition' to 'forward movement' in the India- Pakistan relationship.