Bury past animosities, begin new era of friendship: Former J&K CM

Union minister for new and renewable energy and the former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Farooq Abdullah called upon Pakistan to "bury the past animosities and begin a new era of friendship and peace with India."

Addressing a gathering at Aligarh Muslim University during Sir Syed Day celebrations today, Abdullah said that India, Pakistan and other Saarc countries should learn from the European Union countries, who fought two World Wars with each other in the last century, "but had now come together on a single platform and were forging a new unity for the common good having forgotten the hatred of the past."

Striking an emotional chord, the former J&K CM said, "It is my dream that one day all the citizens of SAARC countries will move freely across their respective borders just as people of different European countries, who have freedom to travel all over Europe."

Abdullah said that the people of Pakistan should understand that India would bear no grudge against them, if Pakistan was prepared to seriously walk on the way of peace and prosperity.

"I am fully aware that path to peace and progress in the sub-continent is not going to be an easy task because the forces of hatred and destruction would always make it difficult, but the ideal of peace beckons us to do our best."