Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday, April 28, expressed profound remorse over the Pahalgam terror attack that took place on April 22, where 26 innocent lives were lost. Speaking during a special session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly convened to condemn the attack, Abdullah acknowledged his failure in ensuring the safety of the tourists who were targeted in the tragedy.
“This incident affected the entire country. We have seen many such attacks in the past… An attack of such a large scale has been carried out after 21 years in Baisaran,” Abdullah said. He continued, “I did not know how to apologise to the families of the deceased… Being the host, it was my duty to send the tourists back safely. I couldn’t do it. I do not have the words to seek an apology.”
The Chief Minister took full responsibility for the failure, stating, “I will not use this moment to demand statehood. After Pahalgam, with what face can I ask for statehood for Jammu and Kashmir? Meri kya itni sasti siyasat hai?” He explained that while statehood was an important issue, it would be inappropriate to raise it in the aftermath of such a devastating tragedy.
The attack occurred in Baisaran valley, a popular tourist destination near Pahalgam, where the victims—mainly tourists—were gunned down by militants. The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), initially claimed responsibility for the attack but later distanced itself from it.
