People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti has said Jammu and Kashmir is bearing the brunt of the animosity between India and Pakistan. Reconciliation between the two nations is the only way to stop terror incidents in the Union Territory, the former chief minister said.

The remarks came days after seven people – a local doctor and six non-local labourers – were killed and five injured when terrorists attacked their camp in Gund in Ganderbal district of Kashmir. The labourers were working on a tunnel project.

“The people of J&K are stuck in the animosity between the two countries. Their lives and their property are getting destroyed because the two countries are fighting each other,” Mufti said after visiting the residence of Dr Shahnawaz Dar, who was killed in Sunday’s attack, in Naidgam village of Budgam district on Wednesday.

Bearing the brunt

“J&K is bearing the brunt and the poor non-local labourers are also suffering because of that,” Mehbooba told reporters in Budgam

The former Lok Sabha MP said Dar was serving the people and was an honourable man but suffered because of the animosity between the two countries.

“Until both the countries sit together, talk in a cordial manner and take the path of reconciliation like (former prime minister Atal Bihari) Vajpayee, the people of J&K and the rest of the country will continue to witness such incidents,” she said.

Dar was posted at the tunnel construction site by APCO Infratech, the infrastructure company he was working for.

Mehbooba’s remarks are in sharp contrast with her party’s rival National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah who on Monday lashed out at Pakistan for perpetrating terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir, saying Islamabad will have to stop terror incidents here if it wants to have friendly relations with India.

Until both the countries sit together, talk in a cordial manner and take the path of reconciliation, the people of J&K will continue to witness such incidents.

Every person in J&K wants this violence to end… we get out of this bloodshed.

“Every person in J&K, not just Mehbooba Mufti, wants this violence to end and that the two countries sit together and talk so that we get out of this bloodshed,” Mehbooba said when asked about comments by Abdullah.