Stand against perpetrators of Pahalgam-like attacks: Farooq to people

National Conference supremo Farooq Abdullah on Saturday urged the people of Jammu and Kashmir to stand against the perpetrators of Pahalgam-like attacks for progress and prosperity, asserting that those behind the April 22 massacre would “rot in hell”.

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The former chief minister of the erstwhile state visited the residence of Adil Hussain Shah, a pony ride operator who was among the 26 victims, at Hapatnaar in this south Kashmir district.

“He (Shah) is a martyr. He sacrificed his life, he was not afraid of the guns of the beasts. This is ‘insaniyat (humanity)’, this is Kashmiriyat. One who is afraid is dead,” Abdullah said.

“We have to fight them (terrorists) and fight them with courage. We will never be happy and prosperous and we can never move forward until we fight them. So, we must have courage,” he added.

Abdullah, however, refused to comment on India’s actions against Pakistan in the aftermath of the attack. “Our prime minister will take such a decision.” On Pakistan Peoples Party leader Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari’s threatening remarks, Abdullah said, “He (Bhutto) will continue to issue statements ... If we care about his statements, we cannot move forward.” “We have been saying for a long time that we need to revisit the IWT. We are suffering losses because of it. I am not saying that water be stopped but we also have a right over it,” he said.

Asked about a war-like situation prevailing between the two nuclear powers in wake of the attack, Abdullah said, “I have no answer to such questions.” Speaking on the Pahalgam massacre, the National Conference chief urged people not to be afraid of such attacks and said those behind it would rot in hell. “Those who did that and those behind it murdered humanity. The doors of hell are open for them. They cannot enter heaven,” he said.