Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam has undone years of progress made in the state, both economically and diplomatically. He remarked that the incident has dealt a severe blow to the state’s tourism sector and has once again allowed Pakistan to bring Kashmir into international focus.
“We are in a place where we didn’t expect to be. We are in a place where there has been bloodshed, suffering, turmoil, upheaval… Everything has changed. And yet in some ways nothing has,” Abdullah told NDTV. Elaborating on the magnitude of the shift, he said, “We should have been full with tourists, booming economy, children should have been at school, airports should have been functioning with 50-60 flights a day.” Instead, the Valley is now deserted, schools have been shut, and the airport and airspace remain closed.
“Yet when I say nothing has changed – Pakistan has, by design, unfortunately again, managed to internationalise the question of Jammu and Kashmir,” he said. Abdullah further pointed out that “the US, which seems to be keen to inject itself in the role of a moderator, interlocutor”, has also contributed to the internationalisation of the issue.
Abdullah added that the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, which had held despite other tensions, is now “in tatters”. “We await to see what happens tonight,” he said. Referring to the sudden shift, he said, “When we see just three weeks ago, it was a bustling place. Bahalga was full of tourists. And then that horrible massacre.”
The incident occurred on April 22 when terrorists opened fire at the scenic Baisaran meadow in Kashmir, killing 26 people after reportedly conducting religious profiling. Among the dead were 25 tourists and a local ponywallah who tried to shield them.
In retaliation, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror camps at nine locations in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir. The following day, Pakistan responded with drone and missile strikes supported by artillery shelling along the border. However, Islamabad reportedly backed down after four days, following India’s targeted attacks on Pakistan’s airbases, command centres, military infrastructure, and air defence systems along the western front.
Congress Attacks Modi Govt Over US Remarks: ‘Attempt To Internationalise Issues Between India And Pakistan’
Amid this escalating tension, Congress on Sunday demanded answers from the Union government over whether it had accepted third-party mediation on Kashmir, following announcements made by the United States. The party also criticised efforts to hyphenate India and Pakistan and internationalise the bilateral issue.
Congress general secretary Sachin Pilot, addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters, said, “We were all surprised after the announcement of ceasefire was made by the US President through social media. An attempt was made to internationalise the issues between India and Pakistan. This is for the first time this has happened”, as quoted by news agency PTI.
Pilot questioned the authority of the US to decide the terms of mediation, saying, “To say that they will meet at a neutral site, who are they to decide what the neutral site is and who should meet?”
Government sources later clarified that India would never accept mediation on Kashmir and reiterated that the only matter open for discussion was Pakistan returning the territory under its illegal occupation.
Referring to the 1994 parliamentary resolution that asserts Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir is part of India, Pilot asked, “Has there been a change in that stand? What are the conditions, what are the circumstances, what are the issues on which they will talk and who is a third country to dictate to India – where and when we should meet and how we should meet?”
He also raised concerns over the credibility of the ceasefire, citing violations that occurred shortly after its declaration. “How can we believe them, and what is the guarantee that such developments will not happen again?”
Pilot reiterated that Kashmir is a bilateral issue and there is no space for third-party intervention. He called for a special session of Parliament to reaffirm the 1994 resolution and for the Prime Minister to convene an all-party meeting to brief the nation and political leaders.
“The American President wrongly said that they have been fighting for thousands of years, forgetting that the two were one country a few years ago,” he said, describing this as another attempt to hyphenate India and Pakistan.
Invoking the 1971 war, Pilot said, “We remember that government when national interest was supreme,” referring to then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s decision to proceed despite US pressure.
Pilot lauded the Indian armed forces for their valour and professionalism, stating, “We are all proud of what our soldiers and our armed forces action, what they have done to teach Pakistan a lesson.”
The Congress leader urged the government to take the nation into confidence and provide clarity on the developments and US involvement in the ceasefire.
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