Pakistan has a role in Kashmir: Omar

JAMMU - Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Tuesday reiterated that Pakistan has a role in Jammu and Kashmir.

Omar, who is facing flak for his comments that Jammu and Kashmir had only acceded to India and “not merged with it”, told reporters on the sidelines of a function in Jammu that he saw a role for Pakistan in the resolution of the Kashmir crisis.

Expressing his satisfaction over the four-day India visit of the US president, Omar said he was “satisfied with the entire visit of Barack Obama”.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had invited Omar to the private dinner he hosted Sunday night for the Obamas. The do was attended among others by central ministers, leaders of business, industry and actors and journalists.

The chief minister, however, voiced concern over the internal situation in Pakistan, though he did not elaborate on it. “We all know what role Pakistan is playing in Kashmir,” he said, but did not elaborate.

India accuses Pakistan of fomenting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and officials claim they have confirmed reports that Pakistan is exporting terrorists and guns into the state. Former chief minister Farooq Abdullah has spoken of it a number of times.

In August this year, Farooq said: “Our neighbour has always been fishing in troubled waters. First it started with guns, blasts and bombs. They threw the Kashmiri Pandits out by ethnic cleansing. They did not succeed in taking Kashmir to Pakistan… But be sure, none of their plans will succeed.”