New Delhi: In the wake of the recent deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah visited the region and engaged with tourists, asserting that Kashmir is and will remain an integral part of India.
Interacting with reporters during his visit, Abdullah said the continued presence of tourists is a clear message that fear has not prevailed. “Those who tried to spread terror have failed,” he stated. “We are not afraid. Kashmir has always been, and will always remain, part of India. People want an end to terrorism. It’s been 35 years we now want to see development and aspire to become a superpower,” said the former Chief Minister.
Speaking to ANI, Abdullah condemned the attack as a brutal act and urged the nation to unite against terrorism. “The time has come to put an end to this prolonged violence. The pot has overflowed,” he added.
Abdullah also emphasized that Jammu and Kashmir has never supported Pakistan and never will. Reflecting on the personal toll of the attack, he mentioned the emotional trauma suffered by the victims’ families, including a newlywed woman and a child who saw his father covered in blood. “We cried too. We couldn’t eat,” he shared.
Lambasting the attackers, he said, “They have murdered humanity. Such people cannot call themselves Muslims they are not human.”
He reassured the bereaved families that their pain would not be ignored and promised justice. “We’ve lived through this for decades. But they’ve never won and they never will.”
When asked about recent remarks by former Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, Abdullah declined to engage, saying such statements should not derail India’s focus. He also reiterated his long-standing view that the Indus Waters Treaty needs to be reassessed, pointing out that India has been disadvantaged.
Abdullah, accompanied by NC legislator Altaf Kaloo, met with Hyder Shah, the father of Syed Adil Hussain Shah a local who died while trying to save tourists during the Pahalgam attack. Shah expressed gratitude, saying Abdullah’s support brought comfort in their time of grief.
Meanwhile, the Indian government has formally halted all imports and transit of goods from or through Pakistan, per a notification issued by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry. Enacted under the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992, and the Foreign Trade Policy 2023, the ban takes effect immediately.
In addition, India has suspended mail and parcel services from Pakistan. These steps are part of a broader retaliatory response following the attack, which claimed 26 lives. Other measures include closing the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari, revoking the Saarc Visa Exemption Scheme for Pakistani nationals, directing them to exit India within 40 hours, and scaling down diplomatic presence in both nations.
India has also suspended its participation in the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty as part of its comprehensive response to the incident.