Militancy has not ended in Jammu and Kashmir, says Farooq Abdullah

Farooq Abdullah. File Pic

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said militancy in Jammu and Kashmir will not end until India and Pakistan hold a dialogue to find a lasting solution to all conflicts, reported news agency PTI.

"Encounters will keep on happening. To say that militancy has ended will be wrong. These things happened yesterday and are happening today .. these things will keep on happening till both the countries do not come to the table for holding talks to find a solution," Farooq Abdullah told PTI after a meeting at the party office.

On the removal of additional duty on the import of apples, walnuts and almonds from the US, Abdullah said there are concerns that the move might lead to a fall in the prices of local produce.

"We have concerns that our fruit industry in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal and Uttarakhand will be affected. The farmers, who have spent a lot of money, are worried that the prices of local produce will fall and they will suffer losses. I request the government to pay attention to this issue so that the farmers do not suffer. If they suffer losses, it will not be good for the country," Farooq Abdullah told PTI

The former chief minister refused to comment on the agenda of the opposition I-N-D-I-A bloc's coordination committee meeting, which is scheduled to be held in the national capital on Wednesday.

"Omar Abdullah has gone to attend the meeting on behalf of the National Conference. You will be told about what was decided after the meeting," Farooq Abdullah told PTI.

Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir including former chief ministers Farooq Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have registered a strong protest against the central government's decision to reduce the tariff on apples imported from the United States.

In June, the US and India agreed to terminate six outstanding disputes at the World Trade Organization. Also, India agreed to reduce tariffs on certain US products, including chickpeas, lentils, almonds, walnuts, apples, boric acid, and diagnostic reagents, a United States Trade Representative statement said on Friday.

An additional 20 per cent duty was imposed on US apples in 2019 in response to US measure to increase tariffs on certain steel and aluminum products. There is no reduction on the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) duty on apples which is still applicable on all imported apples including those from the US at 50 per cent.

National Conference (NC) leader Farooq Abdullah slammed the Centre's move on tariffs concerning apples and said it did not think about the impact it would have on Jammu and Kashmir's economy.

"To appease the US, they want to finish the local growers. I appeal to the Government of India to not take a step that would increase the poverty that is already here and we get stuck in another crisis...If they don't make it easy for the people, we will take to the street and protest," he said.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also slammed the move removal of additional tariff on apples.

"There is no shortage (of apples). Himachal and here (Jammu and Kashmir) have ample good-quality apples. Why do they (the government) still want to import apples?" she said, adding that the "Make in India" of the government was a "joke".

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)