Former J&K CM Farooq Abdullah bats for talks with Pak after recent encounters

Amid recent encounters in Jammu and Kashmir, former J&K Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah called for talks with Pakistan.He said that these encounters will not be over until a path is not found through which peace can be achieved. He also said that peace cannot be achieved through a fight, and will come through talks."I don't see the end of this. Today we had an encounter in Rajouri, there are encounters daily. The government shouts daily that militancy is over. Now tell me, is militancy over? This will not be over until a path is not found through which peace can be achieved. Peace cannot be achieved through a fight, it can come through talks," he said.After meeting the family members of martyred Deputy Superintendent of Jammu and Kashmir Police Humayun Bhat, he said, "It is a shocking incident, a Colonel, a Major and a Deputy SP were killed (in the encounter)."Three Army personnel, including the colonel and the major, and a deputy superintendent of the Jammu and Kashmir Police were killed in the gunfight with terrorists in the higher reaches of the Kokorenag area in the valley.Colonel Manpreet Singh, Major Ashish Dhonchak and Deputy Superintendent of Police Humayun Bhat were critically injured in the gunfight that ensued in the Garol area of Anantnag district in the morning hours of Wednesday.The officers succumbed to their injuries during treatment.With inputs from agencies