Anti-Pakistan protests were held in parts of the Jammu region on July 9 over the Kathua attack that left five soldiers dead on Monday. As Jammu & Kashmir parties in one voice condemned the attack, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah expressed concern over the uptick in violence and sought dialogue.
Also Read | Uttarakhand mourns death of five soldiers in Kathua terror attack
Locals held demonstrations in Jammu city over the attacks. They raised anti-Pakistan slogans. A protest rally was held by lawyers of the Jammu Bar Association under the leadership of senior advocate Vikram Sharma. He described the Kathua attack as “an act of cowardice by Pakistan-backed terrorists”. The lawyers accused Pakistan of “sponsoring terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir”. Scores of lawyers at the Kathua court also held protests.
Abdullahs condemn attack
Top leaders of the NC, including Mr. Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah, condemned the Kathua attack, but targeted the BJP-led government.
“We have been saying time and again that militancy is a problem in Jammu and Kashmir. You can’t wish it away. This government had convinced itself that somehow August 5, 2019 is the solution to all problems, including terror and violence. But that clearly isn’t the case,” Mr. Omar Abdullah said. He demanded “extra vigilance” from the administration. “The administration is showing a lax attitude. Hopefully, such attacks won’t happen again,” he said.
Senior Abdullah slammed Pakistan and demanded an end to violence. “Terrorism will not help anyone. If our neighbour thinks it will bring a change by sending these terrorists, it will never happen. The fighting will only bring about devastation for both countries. Please, stop this terrorism,” he said.
The former Chief Minister said “war leads to destruction and devastation”. “The need is for peaceful resolution of conflicts and dialogue to address our differences,” he added.
Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti, who condemned the terror attack, said, “Tragic and equally shocking that they are losing their lives in the line of duty in places where one found little to no trace of militancy before 2019. Tells you all there is to know about the current security situation in J&K”.
Sajad Lone’s J&K Peoples Conference, Altaf Bukhari’s J&K Apni Party and Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Democratic Progressive Azad Party also condemned the Kathua attack.
