Suhail Khan
Pahalgam, May 03: National Conference President Dr. Farooq Abdullah on Saturday once again stunned the political establishment with his latest statement, declaring that Kashmir was, and will always remain, part of India.
During his visit to Pahalgam—a valley deeply affected by last week’s deadly terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 tourists—Dr. Farooq, as per Kashmir Despatch, stated, “We Kashmiris are not going to be scared, as Kashmir was and will always remain part of India.”
During his visit, Dr. Farooq Abdullah also met with the family of Syed Adil Hussain Shah, who lost his life while protecting tourists from terrorists. He handed over one month’s basic salary from the concerned MLA of Pahalgam, Altaf Kaloo, to the bereaved family.
He stated that time has changed, and not only Kashmiris but tourists, too, have stood firm despite the terror attack, sending a loud and clear message to the enemies of peace: “We will not tolerate this anymore and will not stop visiting the Kashmir Valley.”
He added that those who spread fear in peaceful Kashmir are the real enemies of peace and are doomed to fail.
Addressing the victims, he said, “To those who lost their lives here—the bride married just six days ago, the child who saw his father soaked in blood—I want to say that we also cried. We also couldn’t eat. Such demons still exist, those who murder humanity. They call themselves Muslims, but I believe they are not.”
Abdullah continued, “I want to assure them that these sacrifices will not go in vain. All will be avenged…‘Ab ghada bhar gaya hai’ (the pot of sin is now full). We must now uproot it (terrorism). We have endured it for 35 years, but they have never won—and they never will.”
The National Conference president also urged people not to fear such attacks and appealed to them not to abandon Kashmir despite a surge in trip cancellations.
“More and more tourists should come here. They must not be scared.‘Jo darr gaya, woh mar gaya’ (Those who fear are as good as dead). It is crucial to end terrorism, and whatever action the Prime Minister takes, we stand with him—we are waiting for it,” the National Conference chief asserted.
