Obama should not link Kashmir with Pak problems: NSA

Coming out strongly against any attempt to link Kashmir issue with turmoil in Pakistan's tribal areas, National Security Adviser M K Narayanan has said that US President Barack Obama would be "barking up the wrong tree" if he holds such views.
Narayanan said India had made it known to the Obama team at the outset that it would not like Indo-Pak relations to be on the agenda of Richard Holbrooke, special envoy of the US for Pakistan and Afghanistan.

"References made by President Obama did seem to suggest that there is some kind of a link between the settlement on Pakistan's western border and the Kashmir issue. Certainly that had caused concern," he told audience in a programme.

He was responding to reported suggestions by Obama during his campaign that Pakistan's fight against Taliban on the western front is linked to resolution of Kashmir issue.

The NSA pointed out that Obama made such references when he was in the campaign mode or when he was president-elect.

"We tend to sort of say lets wait and see what he does when he come into office," Narayanan said, adding "I don't think we had any major exchanges with members of the Obama administration later on" though the US President had made courtesy call and discussed bilateral ties.

"I do think that we could make President Obama understand, if he does have any such views then he is barking up the wrong tree," he said.

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Omar Abdullah sworn in as J&K’s youngest CM

National Conference president Omar Abdullah was on Monday sworn in as the youngest-ever Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir by state Governor NN Vohra. Putting to rest speculations about the appointment of a Deputy Chief Minister, Tarachand of the Congress took oath as Omar’s deputy.

Ten ministers were also sworn in along with Omar and Tarachand – five each from the two parties. Six-time MLA Abdul Rahim Rather took oath as a Minister of State. UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was also present at the swearing-in ceremony.

Other ministers who also sworn-in were three-time MLA and former JKPCC Chief Peerzadas Mohmmad Sayeed, Taj Mohideen, Nawang Rigzin Jora, Shyam Lal Sharma, all Congress, and Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mian Altaf, Surjeet Salathia from NC, to be ministers in the J-K government.

Thirty-eight-year-old Omar was invited by Governor Vohra last night to form the government in the state. The invitation followed NC chief’s meeting with the Governor to formally stake claim to form the government.

Omar was, earlier, unanimously elected as the leader of the NC Legislature Party at its meeting on Sunday. His name was proposed by his father and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah and seconded unanimously by the remaining 25 Legislators.

"I am confident to deliver in the state and come up to the expectation of the people of the state", said Omar who got a rapturous welcome on reaching the border state's winter capital yesterday.

Yesterday, PDP pulled out of the ruling Congress-led UPA coalition over its new alliance with National Conference with party president Mehmooba Mufti writing a letter to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

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