Srinagar, May 12 -- Farooq Abdullah said alcohol consumption cannot be stopped merely through restrictions, asserting that those who wish to drink would find ways to procure it even if liquor sales are banned in Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking during an interaction, Abdullah said the ongoing debate over alcohol in Jammu and Kashmir should be viewed practically, adding that prohibition would also impact government revenue.

"Those who drink alcohol will drink it. If they don't get it here, they will get it elsewhere," he said.

Recalling the tenure of former Prime Minister Morarji Desai, who was known for supporting prohibition, Abdullah said his father, former chief minister Sheikh Abdullah, had once conveyed that Jammu and Kashmir could con...