Terrorism most important agenda for NSA talks: Farooq Abdullah

Calls separatist leader Shabir Shah's detention in Delhi 'a due process' of the govt

National Conference  (NC) patron Farooq Abdullah today said that terrorism was the most important agenda which must be discussed at the NSA-level talks between India and Pakistan.

"Terror is the most important issue which is eating us, which is killing people on both sides and people have died in hundreds in terror attacks and I think terror is most important and that should be discussed as was done in Moscow agenda," he told reporters here today.

Calling separatist leader Shabir Shah's detention in Delhi "a due process" of the government, Abdullah said that others who would travel to the capital will also be arrested.

"The Government of India has taken a decision that they are not going to allow Hurriyat to meet him (Sartaj Aziz).

"This is a due process that has been started and it has culminated in his arrest. The other who will travel, they will also be arrested," the NC leader said.

Asked what he thought of the government's decision, he said, "Who am I to question the decision of the Government of India, the government must have taken it in the best interest of the country."

Asked whether the Hurriyat leaders must be allowed to meet Pakistan's NSA, Farooq said the meeting of Hurriyat leaders with Pakistani leaders is nothing new, as "they are the fathers of Hurriyat".

"Look, it is not a new thing; they have always met the Pakistani leaders whenever they have come here. What has happened, nothing new they keep on meeting with them.

"As far as Pakistan is concerned, they are the fathers of Hurriyat so what is new about it," he added.

Farooq further said he never considered the Hurriyat "relevant", when asked about the significance of the meeting between the Hurriyat and Aziz tomorrow.

"As far as Farooq Abdullah is concerned they (Hurriyat Conference) were never relevant. It is those who made them relevant should find out, I never made them relevant," he said.

Reacting to reports about fresh evidence of Dawood Ibrahim living in Karachi which the government will produce before Pakistan's NSA, the NC patron said India had always known the fact.

"We have always known this, let us make one thing clear that we have always known that Dawood is in Karachi. There is nothing new in it.

"The only thing is now that the government of India is going to put the evidence before Sartaj Aziz and show him that he (Dawood) is in Pakistan." he said.