Omar asks militants to come to the negotiating table

Noting that the gun culture of the last 20 years had only resulted in bloodshed and destruction, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday asked militants to shun violence and come to the dialogue table to resolve issues amicably.

Noting that the gun culture of the last 20 years had only resulted in bloodshed and destruction, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday asked militants to shun violence and come to the dialogue table to resolve issues amicably.

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Abdullah expressed hope that a better sense will prevail and militants will drop guns forever.

"This will be in their larger interest and the interest of the people", he said in his Republic Day address to the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

"Nothing has so for either been achieved or will be achieved in future by the bloodshed", he said, adding that dialogue is the only means to address the problems and solve issues in a conducive atmosphere.

"We will act as a facilitator in the dialogue process between all groups of opinion in the state and the Centre, besides working for restoration of Indo-Pak composite talks", he said.

The Chief Minister said the task to seek betterment and bright future for youth has been taken by him as a challenge. "I have recognised technology and young people as the two important aspects on which development and prosperity of a nation is dependent. It is for these facts that I have flagged both as important concerns having co-relation".