'Kashmir won't become Pakistan, you tried for 75 yrs': Farooq Abdullah's message for Islamabad after terror attack in J&K

A day after the horrific terror attack on migrant labourers in Jammu and Kashmir's Ganderbal, former chief minister and NC President Farooq Abdullah on Monday talked tough and asked the leadership in Pakistan to stop attacks if it wanted a good relationship with New Delhi. 

A doctor and six migrant workers lost their lives in the attack, for which the Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility. India Today reported that TRF chief Sheikh Sajjad Gul is the mastermind of the attack and the group's local module, at his behest, carried out the attack targeting Kashmiris and non-Kashmiris together for the first time.

"This attack was very unfortunate. Immigrant poor labourers and a doctor lost their lives. What will the terrorists get from this? Do they think they will be able to create a Pakistan here," Abdullah said while speaking to reporters.  

"We are trying to put this to an end so we can move on from the misery. I want to tell the leadership in Pakistan that if they want good relations with India, they need to put an end to this. 'Kashmir Pakistan nahi Banega'," he said, adding that Islamabad started this game in 1947 and has been killing innocents.  

The former chief minister said that if Islamabad couldn't create a Pakistan for 75 years, it won't be possible now. "It is time to end terrorism, otherwise the results will be very severe. How will talks be held if they kill our innocent people?"

On Sunday, the terrorists opened fire on a camp housing labourers of a private company working on the construction of a tunnel in the Gund area of the district. Two labourers died on the spot. The attack occurred four days after a new government was sworn in in the Union Territory. 

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah condemned the attack on non-local labourers, who were working on a key infrastructure project in the area. "I strongly condemn this attack on unarmed innocent people and send my condolences to their loved ones," Abdullah said in a post on X. 

People's Conference leader Sajad Gani Lone also condemned the attack. "Strongly condemn the dastardly act of terror wherein two persons have lost their lives in Sonamarg. This is an insane act of madness. My thoughts with families of these two families. May the perpetrators be brought to justice," he said in a post on X.