In the wake of the devastating terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah urged the nation to avoid blaming Kashmiris for the incident, stressing that they are not the perpetrators. Abdullah condemned the attack and extended his solidarity to the victims.
The attack, which occurred at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on April 22, claimed 26 innocent lives. Abdullah expressed his heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, including the 25 tourists who were killed, as well as the local Kashmiri who sacrificed his life to save others.
“Be it our 25 guests who came here to enjoy their vacation, or that one person from our valley who sacrificed his life to save the people there... I am also thankful to the people of Kashmir who came out after the attack and condemned it,” Abdullah remarked.
The J&K Chief Minister made a plea to the public, urging them to refrain from viewing Kashmiris as the enemy. “Please don’t think that Kashmiris are your enemies; we are not guilty of it. We have also suffered for the last 35 years... Please refrain from making such a statement... We request to put a stop to it,” he said.
Abdullah reiterated that the attack was the work of external elements, not local residents. He pointed out that the people of Jammu and Kashmir desire peace and lamented the violence that continues to plague the region. "The people of Jammu and Kashmir are not against peace; they want peace... What had happened hasn't happened according to our will? If we had the will, it wouldn't have happened... It's unfortunate," he added.
The attack is one of the deadliest since the 2019 Pulwama strike, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF jawans. The terrorist assault on April 22 has sparked widespread outrage across the nation, and calls for justice continue to intensify.
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