Omar Abdullah Rules Out Politicising Pahalgam Attack, Defers Statehood Demand

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said he would not politicise the Pahalgam terror attack by demanding statehood over the dead bodies of 26 victims.

In a strong statement following the Pahalgam terror attack, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah expressed deep grief and made it clear he would not exploit the tragedy for political gains.

“My brand of politics is not so cheap that I would demand statehood at the cost of 26 lives,” Abdullah said while addressing reporters. He reiterated that the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood remains an important objective but insisted it would not be raised amid mourning.

Abdullah, who has been a vocal critic of the Centre’s move to abrogate Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in 2019, distanced himself from politicising the current crisis.

“We are not in charge of law and order in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said. “But I will not use today’s situation to demand statehood from the Centre. We will demand it on another occasion, not now.”

His remarks come at a time when tensions remain high in the Union Territory after 26 civilians, including tourists, were brutally killed in a terror attack at Baisaran Valley in Pahalgam.

The restoration of statehood has been a longstanding demand of several political parties in Jammu and Kashmir. The Centre had promised to restore statehood after the completion of the delimitation exercise and Assembly elections, but no specific timeline has been announced yet.

Opposition leaders have often accused the government of delaying the process for political reasons, while the Centre maintains that security and development priorities must first be addressed.

On April 22, terrorists targeted civilians in Baisaran Valley, asking them their religious identity before opening fire. The attack, which killed 25 tourists and one local Kashmiri, has been widely condemned nationally and internationally.

The incident has also triggered strong retaliatory actions from New Delhi, including diplomatic measures against Pakistan.

As the Union Territory grapples with the aftermath of the attack, leaders like Omar Abdullah are calling for unity and restraint. “There will be a time and place to talk about statehood,” Abdullah said. “Today, we must mourn the innocent lives lost and ensure justice for them.”