Farooq Abdullah Demands Clarity from Modi on India’s Response to Pahalgam Terror Attack

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) Chief Farooq Abdullah on Monday raised a crucial question regarding India’s response to Pakistan in light of the brutal terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22. Speaking ahead of a special session of the Jammu and Kashmir legislative assembly to discuss the incident, Abdullah said, “Ask the Prime Minister what answer should be given to Pakistan.”

The attack, which targeted innocent civilians, claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists, in the popular Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam. It was initially claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Abdullah’s comments came after he was asked about India’s strategy moving forward in terms of Pakistan’s involvement and the broader geopolitical ramifications of the attack. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to provide clarity on the diplomatic and military measures India should take in response to Pakistan’s continuous support of terrorism.

In the same vein, Mubarak Gul, the Chief Whip of the National Conference, strongly condemned the attack, calling it a “murder of entire humanity.” Gul emphasized, “It was a brutal attack. Killing an innocent is the murder of the entire humanity. This is not our culture. Entire Kashmir has condemned this attack.”

Congress MLA Nizamuddin Bhat also commented on recent statements made by Jammu and Kashmir Congress President Tariq Hameed Karra. Bhat clarified that Karra’s remarks, which had been misunderstood by some, were not meant to suggest any leniency towards terrorism. Instead, he said, “Karra Sahab’s statement does not mean that we are not against terrorism. It has a context. We (Congress) have tried wars, we have tried dialogue, and we have tried every internal cohesive measure to eliminate extremists and terrorism.”

Bhat went on to assert that the Congress party fully supports the government in its efforts to combat terrorism. “This is a question of national security. We are with the nation. But there is also a mood that once we have tried everything, let us try it again. That never means that we are tying down the government’s hands from taking it up. The union government can take any measure,” he added.