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Reacting to the decision of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference to boycott the Centre's initiative to hold talks with parties in Jammu and Kashmir to bring peace to the state, Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah on Sunday said, "The APHC would be eliminated if it does not join the peace talks."
"The invitation for talks by the Centre was open to everyone and the APHC's boycott of the peace process would be at its own peril. It would be isolated as in the 1996 elections," Dr Farooq said while talking to journalists after a function in Srinagar on Sunday morning.
Dr Farooq hoped 'all groups and political parties would join the talks to find a way out of the current difficult situation'.
He said his party representatives would meet Pant and 'put forward their point of view'. He, however, did not elaborate on the proposals the National Conference would be placing before Pant. "It would be decided by the party," he said.
The chief minister set at rest speculation about Sharad Pawar's recent visit to the Valley saying, "He had come here on a holiday with his family, including his daughter and grand daughter."
Dr Farooq claimed that 'Pawar's visit would help in sending a good signal to intending tourists who might have second thoughts about the security situation in the Valley'.
COMPLETE COVERAGE Government initiated ceasefire in J&K
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