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'I AM An Indian Citizen, Not Pakistani': National Conference Leader Farooq Abdullah

Jammu & Kashmir National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah reacted to Pakistan's Defence Minister Khwaja Asif's statement where he said Pakistan and the NC-Congress alliance were on the same page on the restoration of Article 370. Abdullah denied the statement, saying he doesn't know what Pakistan says as he is not a Pakistani, an Indian citizen.

'I AM An Indian Citizen, Not Pakistani': National Conference Leader Farooq Abdullah
File Photo of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah (ETV Bharat)

By ANI

Published : Sep 19, 2024, 5:13 PM IST

Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir): After Pakistan's Defence Minister Khwaja Asif said that Pakistan and the NC-Congress alliance were on the same page on the restoration of Article 370, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah said on Thursday that he does not know what Pakistan says.

Abdullah said, "I don't know what Pakistan says. I am not a Pakistani; I am an Indian citizen." On the Jammu Kashmir Assembly Polls, he said that everything would be clear in front of the people on October 8.

"Wait till October 8, everything will be clear. The first thing I will do is bring back the Darbar Move. We have both been caused a loss because of the Darbar Move. People used to go there in the winter in the Darbar Move. There was a relationship between Jammu and Kashmir. In summer, they used to come here to finish the work. You can go and ask the people how much loss they have suffered because of the Darbar Move," he said.

Earlier, the BJP lashed out at the Congress-National Conference alliance after Pakistan Defence Minister Khwaja Asif said that Pakistan and the alliance were on the same page when it came to the restoration of Article 370 in the Union Territory.

BJP leader Amit Malviya in a post on X said, "Pakistan, a terrorist state, endorses Congress and National Conference's position on Kashmir. Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, on Hamid Mir's Capital Talk on Geo News says, "Pakistan and National Conference-Congress alliance are on the same page in Jammu & Kashmir to restore Article 370 and 35A". How is it that, from Pannun to Pakistan, Rahul Gandhi and his Congress, are always seen on the side of those inimical to India's interest?"

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said, "The question is what is this relation of Congress party & NC with Pakistan called?... We can see how the Congress Party National Conference and INDIA Alliance are continuously trying to join hands with Pakistan..." Earlier speaking on Geo News to senior journalist Hamid Mir in a show Capital Talk, the Pakistan Defence Minister was asked whether Pakistan and the National Conference-Congress alliance are on the same page regarding the restoration of Article 370 and 35A in Jammu and Kashmir.

Khwaja Asif replied, "Absolutely. Even our demand is also the same..." Pakistan's Defence Minister also claimed that Article 370 could return should the NC-Congress alliance come to power in JK.

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