Farooq Abdullah also asked Pakistan to stop supporting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and stressed that peace will continue to elude the region until terrorism is completed stopped.
Jammu Kashmir News: Amidst the backdrop of Saturday’s twin terror attacks in Kashmir, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah Sunday questioned if terrorism in the erstwhile state has stopped after the abrogation of Article 370.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of an election rally in Mendhar area of Poonch district in Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah called upon the Central government to order a probe into Saturday’s twin terror attacks, and said his would “invite an international committee” to carry out an investigation into the terror incidents if their probe demand wasn’t met.
“I have been repeatedly saying that those sitting in Delhi are misleading the people by saying Article 370 was responsible for terrorism. How many years have passed since the abrogation of the Article? Has terrorism stopped?” Abdullah asked.
Centre must order probe into terror attacks
Referring to the killing of Aijaz Ahmad Sheikh– a BJP functionary shot dead by militants on Saturday night– the former chief minister rued than an innocent former sarpanch of BJP lost his life in the attack.
“Had he not the right to live? This is a free country and any party can propagate their ideology. Who killed him should be probed and that too soon,” Farooq asked, and also demanded an investigation into the attack on tourists in Anantnag.
“If they (Centre) do not go for the probe, we should invite an international committee to investigate who is responsible for such attacks,” Abdullah said.
Pakistan must stop terrorism in Kashmir
The NC supremo also asked Pakistan to stop supporting terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir and stressed that peace will continue to elude the region until terrorism is completed stopped.
“I want to tell our neighbour Pakistan to stop terrorism (in J-K). After the terror activities are stopped, both countries can sit together and resolve their issues,” he said.
Terrorists struck at two places in south Kashmir on Saturday night, killing Aijaz Ahmad Sheikh, a former sarpanch affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in Shopian and injuring a tourist couple from Rajasthan in Anantnag.
‘Amit Shah met NC detractors in Srinagar’
Meanwhile, talking about Amit Shah’s recent visit to the Valley, Abdullah claimed the Union Home Minister held a meeting with NC detractors during his recent two-day tour of Srinagar.
“He is the home minister and can visit to oversee the arrangements. But I was told that he had specially invited some people and the meeting continued past midnight. He has not met me but met those who are against our party. You can judge yourself what was the purpose of the visit,” he said.
Asked about Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari’s claim that the home minister had come to benefit NC and PDP ahead of the fifth and sixth phase of parliamentary elections, Abdullah said he did not want to talk about the party and their claims.
“Who brought the gun here (in J-K) and who raised a party which brought the gun from across the border and targeted our innocent people and workers? Who was the person getting money from Pakistan and distributing it among the people here?” he said without naming anyone but apparently referring to separatist-turned-mainstream politician Sajad Lone.
Abdullah said he had repeatedly told the Parliament that the same people are now standing with the BJP.
(With PTI inputs)