IHK chief minister notes Pakistan role in curbing violence

[Naveed Yaseen]

SRINAGAR (May 09 2009): The chief minister of Indian held Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, has acknowledged Pakistan's contribution to the "remarkable" drop in violence in the volatile region in recent years. "It would be impossible for levels of violence to be where they are if there wasn't some amount of influence being brought to bear from Pakistan," Abdullah said.

"I tend to believe that we have reached this point because perhaps Pakistan has also realised it is not in their interest to have these levels of violence, which leads to the alienation of the people here," he added. Abdullah's comments came against the backdrop of New Delhi's refusal to restart peace talks in the wake of the attacks on Mumbai in November last year that were blamed on a Pakistani-based militant group.

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