Farooq Abdullah urges Pakistan to end terror and choose dialogue amid fresh attacks in J&K, including the tragic killing of two SPOs in Kishtwar and an assault on CRPF personnel in Kulgam, as regional leaders condemn the rising violence.
Farooq Abdullah Calls for Dialogue
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday called on Pakistan to end terrorism and choose dialogue to resolve outstanding issues, amid a spate of security incidents in Jammu and Kashmir, including the killing of two Special Police Officers (SPOs) in Kishtwar. Abdullah said terrorism should not intimidate people and reiterated that Kashmir was, is and will always remain a part of India. He also emphasised the need to revive the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to facilitate dialogue and regional cooperation.
"Terrorism exists, but we must not be intimidated by it. Kashmir was, is, and will always remain a part of India... I have always told Pakistan: put an end to terrorism. Terrorism will lead nowhere. Choose the path of dialogue; that is the only way a solution can be found. We were once part of the same nation... We must revive SAARC so that we can all sit together, resolve our issues, and move toward progress," he said.
Political Condemnation and Security Incidents
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) MLA Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi strongly condemned the attack on CRPF personnel in Kulgam on Wednesday and the killing of two SPOs in Kishtwar, while questioning the Central Government's approach towards Kashmir. He said violence had no place in a civilised or democratic society and stressed that controlling the visible signs of instability could not be considered a permanent solution.
"We strongly condemn yesterday’s attack in Kulgam and the incident reported in Kishtwar today. Violence has no place in a civilised or democratic society. However, these repeated incidents raise serious questions about the Central Government’s approach towards Kashmir... The government may have controlled the visible signs of instability, but control is not a permanent solution," Mehdi said.
Ongoing Security Operations
In Kulgam district, a massive cordon and search operation (CASO) continued on Thursday after unidentified motorcycle-borne assailants opened fire on CRPF personnel deployed at a security checkpoint in Nowpora Akhran on Wednesday. The attack took place at around 2:15 pm, when the assailants opened fire on the security personnel before fleeing the spot. Three CRPF personnel sustained injuries in the firing and were shifted to a hospital in Anantnag district for treatment.
Kishtwar SPO Killings
In another incident from Kishtwar, the bullet-riddled bodies of the two SPOs, identified as Babi Chand (57) and Rashpal Kumar (45), were recovered on Thursday morning, a day after they went missing in the remote Dachhan belt. The two personnel were posted with the Special Operations Group (SOG) of the local police at Kiyar village in Dachhan. They had gone missing on Wednesday while travelling from their camp towards an Army post at Dharna-Marwah.
Kishtwar MLA Shagun Parihar expressed grief over the killings, stating that the bodies of the two personnel were recovered at around 8 am and 9 am, respectively. "Regarding the incident in which two SPOs (Special Police Officers) were reportedly killed—what are your thoughts? It is a truly tragic incident. Two of our SPOs from the southern region have been killed. They had gone missing last night, and their bodies were recovered this morning—one around 8:00 AM and the other around 9:00 AM. It is deeply saddening," Parihar said.
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