Farooq Abdullah, the president of the National Conference, has strongly condemned the recent terror attack in Gagangir, Jammu, and Kashmir and asked Pakistan to stop its support for terrorism in India. He reiterated that for good relations with New Delhi, Pakistan needs to end such activities.
Abdullah, whose party recently formed a government in the Union territory, claimed Kashmir would never become part of Pakistan. “I want to tell the leadership in Pakistan that if they want good relations with India, they have to desist from this. Kashmir Pakistan nahi banega Kashmir will never become Pakistan). Let us live with dignity and succeed,” he said.
He categorically warned Pakistan that it would have to bear the consequences of continuing to nourish terrorism. “If they have been unable to create a Pakistan for 75 years, how can it be possible now? It is time to end terrorism; otherwise, the repercussions will be severe. How can talks proceed if they continue to kill our innocent people?” he remarked.
The attack on Sunday left a doctor and six laborers working at a tunnel construction site along the Srinagar-Leh national highway in the Ganderbal district dead. He termed the act as tragic while questioning what the terrorists wanted to achieve from it. “This attack was very unfortunate. Immigrant laborers and a doctor lost their lives. Do they think they can create a Pakistan here? We are striving to end this cycle of violence so we can move beyond the suffering,” he added.
The attack involved at least two terrorists, who killed two laborers on the spot, leaving four others and the doctor to later succumb to their injuries. The NIA has reached Kashmir to investigate the incident.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah described the attack as a “dastardly act of cowardice” and vowed the most stringent action against those responsible. “Those behind this heinous act will not be spared. Our security forces will give the harshest response. In this moment of immense grief, I offer my sincerest condolences to the families of the deceased and pray for the speedy recovery of those injured,” he said.
Similarly, Omar Abdullah, the new Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, condemned the attack as “dastardly and cowardly.” He expressed his sadness over the incident of non-local laborers in the Gagangir area.
He underlined that the sad part of the incident was that it resulted in the loss of life among people who were contributing to a very important infrastructure project. “I strongly condemn this attack on unarmed innocent people and send my condolences to their loved ones,” wrote Abdullah on social media.
