Indian-held Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday congratulated Nawaz Sharif over victory in general elections and hoped that he would work for resolving the Kashmir dispute.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Omar Abdullah addressed a public gathering in Pattan and reminded Nawaz Sharif of the initiatives he had taken during his earlier tenure on the resolution of the Kashmir issue.
“I want to congratulate Nawaz Sharif on behalf of my party and the people of Jammu and Kashmir for his brilliant victory in the general elections in Pakistan. We hope and pray that the change of guard in Pakistan will pave the way for good relations between India and Pakistan,” he said.
While requesting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to extend his hand of friendship with Nawaz Sharif, Omar said good relations between India and Pakistan were in the interest of people in both countries and Jammu and Kashmir.
He urged Manmohan Singh and Nawaz Sharif to initiate talks “on the important issue of Kashmir positively by picking up the threads from where they had been left.”
“Guns cannot be described as good or bad guns; guns are always responsible for bleedings and killings. Let gun-culture end once and for all. Let peace prevail. Let issues be resolved amicably across the table,” he said.
