“I was in complete shock. I couldn’t believe this could happen after so many years. I thought things had come to a point where, probably, normalcy is returning. But I was wrong,” Dr Farooq Abdullah, three-time chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) and president of the National Conference (NC) told The Quintbreaking his silence on the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 dead.
On 22 April, in one of the deadliest attacks in the region since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, terrorists opened fire on tourists at the Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam. The attack has triggered widespread condemnation and grief across political parties, and a series of retaliatory measures by the Indian government, including suspending the key Indus Waters Treaty.
Senior Journalist Harinder Baweja spoke with Dr Abdullah who expressed his grief at the tragedy—and praised the unprecedented public response across J&K as well as in Ladakh, where citizens stood united in grief and anger.
He asserted that the ultimate responsibility lies with the Prime Minister, who must ensure the security of all Indians.
Read the edited excerpts:
For the full interview, watch the video.
