Former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah expressed disagreement with the idea of splitting Jammu from Kashmir, emphasizing the unawareness of the consequences. He responded to the suggestion by former Srinagar Mayor Junaid Azim Mattu and legislator Sajad Gani Lone about separating the Valley from the Jammu division, stating that they have never considered such a division. Farooq Abdullah highlighted their opposition to Ladakh’s separation from J&K and questioned the benefits Ladakh gained by becoming a union territory, noting their current desire to reunite with J&K.
Farooq Abdullah addressed the demand made by former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti for the Chenab Valley region to be granted a separate division, referring to it as an old request. He likened it to the Dixon plan, which aimed to create a greater Kashmir by merging Muslim-majority areas of Pir Panjal and the Chenab Valley region with Kashmir, dismissing the practicality of such proposals. Regarding the number of districts in J&K, Farooq Abdullah advocated for maintaining the existing 20 districts, emphasizing the importance of effectively managing the current ones.
Discussing Pakistan’s disruptive tendencies, Farooq Abdullah quoted former Prime Minister Vajpayee, emphasizing the inevitability of living alongside Pakistan as a neighbor. He highlighted the need to accept this reality despite Pakistan’s consistent provocations. Addressing Mehbooba Mufti’s criticism of the Omar Abdullah-led government for allegedly failing to address public grievances, Farooq Abdullah pointed out that both Mehbooba Mufti and her father held the position of Chief Minister in the past, questioning their accomplishments in addressing these issues. When asked about the recent meeting between Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Farooq Abdullah redirected the question to Omar for a response.
