Srinagar, Jan 22: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Tuesday expressed doubt over the efficacy of the UN observers in India and Pakistan, saying they had failed to check violations of the Line of Control (LoC) ever since they were posted.
Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of an official function here, Abdullah said: "As far as the United Nations Military Observers Group (in India and Pakistan -UNMOGIP) is concerned, I have yet to see any serious notice taken by them about the repeated violations of the Line of Control (LoC)."
"Kargil (conflict in 1999) took place because of violations of the LoC. The United Nations was unsuccessful to either stop or resolve the violations of the LoC," he added.
"I can understand that some people would confuse the withdrawal of the UNMOGIP with the ultimate resolution of the problem of Jammu and Kashmir, but the UNMOGIP was placed here because of the tensions along the LoC and not because of the partition of India and Pakistan."
Abdullah was replying to a question about the statement made by India's permanent representative in the United Nations, Hardeep Singh Puri in which he said the UNMOGIP should be wound up as its role had been overtaken by the Shimla Agreement of 1972 between India and Pakistan.
Commenting on the statement made by union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde on "Hindu terrorism", Abdullah said: "The home minister has access to all the intelligence from across the country and he would not make any irresponsible statement."
