Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah said India and Pakistan lack “the guts” required to take back parts of Kashmir occupied by the other, IANS reported. Speaking at a National Conference rally in Kishtwar district, Abdullah said negotiation was the only way forward for the two countries, as “war is no solution”. The former chief minister said civilians were the worst victims of the hostilities.

“The government of India has no guts to take back [parts of Kashmir] from Pakistan, neither does Pakistan have the guts to snatch Kashmir from India,” Abdullah said. He drew attention to the plight of the people of the region because of the hostilities along the Line of Control. “In between, innocent people of Kashmir were suffering and border residents have become the cannon fodder due to escalating tensions,” he said.

The former chief minister said, “Pakistan is one of the stakeholders, which the government of India itself has accepted. There was a resolution on this, which says that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is part of India. Kya yeh tumhare baap ka hai? [Is this your ancestral property].” His comments were an apparent reference to the Narendra Modi-led government’s stance on the matter.

Abdullah demanded a public apology from the prime minister for the inconvenience caused by demonetisation, News18 reported. He took a jibe at Modi, whose mother stood in a bank queue to exchange her old currency notes. Abdullah said a good son would ensure that his mother did not feel any pain.

Relations between India and Pakistan have worsened since the Uri attack, after which the Indian Army carried out surgical strikes on terror launchpads along the Line of Control with Pakistan on September 29. Incidents of cross-border firing have increased since the surgical strikes. India has also attempted to diplomatically isolate Pakistan at international fora.