SRINAGAR – Occupied Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti hassaid India is not in a position to fight a war with Pakistan.

She urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to re-open talks between the twoneighbours. She also appealed to Kashmiri Pandits who fled the Valley toreturn to their roots.

Mufti’s appeal to PM Modi mirrors similar statements made by her politicalopponent, National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah. She raised theexample of former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s bid to move forward with talkswith Pakistan.

“I urge Prime Minister Modi to talk to Pakistan, just like Vajpayee ji did.Neither we nor Pakistan are in a condition of fighting a war. Bothcountries know if there will be a war, nothing will be spared. Both nationswill lose everything,” said Mufti, news agency ANI reported.

The reference to Vajpayee was his repeated bid to stabilise relations withPakistan during the Musharraf era, despite the Kargil conflict.

Mufti also urged Kashmiri Pandits, who fled Kashmir to escape violenceduring the militancy of the 1990s to return to the Valley. “KashmiriPandits should visit Kashmir.

Their younger generations should see where their roots belong to. We willmake all arrangements. Whatever has happened in the past is unfortunate,but now we will have to move forward,” she said.