Fomer Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday lauded Pakistan premier Imran Khan’s latest peace overtures and urged upon the Government of India to respond positively to find out solutions to the long-pending issues between the two neighbouring countries.

Abdullah who represents Srinagar in Lok Sabha while addressing a gathering at annual day function of Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), said that Khan’s recent statements have rekindled hope among the people of Kashmir that a day would dawn when they would be able to live in a free atmosphere.

“I foresee a time when my colleagues, friends and family members move around without security. It is perhaps for that day, God has kept me going. I wish that day comes when the two neighboring countries of India and Pakistan live in camaraderie,” he said.

The SKIMS was founded by his father Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah and was named after him during his lifetime.

Abdullah asserted that only democratically elected Governments will advance the cause of development and will work for the socio-economic emancipation of the underprivileged.

“I look forward to elections for the state assembly at an earliest. Only a popular Government can mitigate the mounting woes of the people. And it is the duty of people to elect honest people to the legislature,” he said.

Abdullah said that secular fabric of the country was under constant threat and polarisation of the population is done to meet political goals.

“Many powers that are inimical to the secular character of India are making bigoted attempts to polarise the people on religious lines to garner support. This is dangerous for a country like India,” he said.

“People want answers for all those fanciful promises that were made by the BJP. People cannot forget the ordeal that they had to undergo due to demonetization. Small business men and small enterprise holders too are at the receiving end due to the promulgation of GST,” he said.

Earlier, addressing a gathering at the grave of his father on his 113 birth anniversary, Abdullah accused the Governor administration in Jammu & Kashmir for fiddling with the autonomous institutions.