Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) president Farooq Abdullah met with tourists in Pahalgam on Saturday and firmly stated that Kashmir has always been and will remain a part of India. His visit came shortly after the terror attack in the region.
While speaking to the media, Abdullah said the biggest message after the Pahalgam attack is that tourists are not afraid. He remarked, “The people who wanted to spread fear have lost. They (terrorists) have lost. It has been proven today that we are not going to get scared. Kashmir was and will always be a part of India.” He added that people are tired of terrorism and want to see development. “It has been 35 years since we have seen terrorism; we want progress. We want to move forward. We will become a superpower one day,” he said.
Abdullah also dismissed comments made by former Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto, suggesting that giving attention to such statements would only hold India back. “If we go by Bilawal Bhutto’s statements, we cannot move forward. I have been saying for a long time that the Indus Water Treaty should be reviewed again. Our rivers and we are the ones who are deprived,” he noted.
His comments followed Bhutto’s admission that Pakistan has a history of supporting terror, acknowledging the country’s troubled past with such groups.
During his visit, Abdullah and JKNC MLA Altaf Kaloo met with Hyder Shah, the father of Syed Adil Hussain Shah. Syed Adil was a local who died trying to save tourists during the Pahalgam attack. Hyder Shah shared his appreciation, saying, “Farooq Abdullah shared our grief and gave us courage in our sorrow, which is helping us move forward.”
Meanwhile, tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated after the deadly Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 tourists. In response, India has taken several strong measures.
The Indian government has immediately banned the import and transit of all goods that come from or are exported via Pakistan. This applies to all products, regardless of their trade status. The Ministry of Commerce and Industry issued a formal notification on Saturday, stating: “In exercise of power conferred by Section 3 read with Section 5 of the Foreign Trade (Development & Regulation) Act, 1992, read with Paragraph 1.02 and 2.01 of the Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023, as amended from time to time, the Central government hereby inserts a new Para 2.20A in the Foreign Trade Policy, 2023 as follows with immediate effect.”
Apart from the trade ban, India also closed the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari and suspended the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme for Pakistani citizens. These nationals have been given 40 hours to leave the country. Additionally, both countries will reduce the number of staff in their respective High Commissions.
Another major decision includes suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, which was signed in 1960. These steps underline India’s strong diplomatic reaction following the tragic events in Pahalgam.
