Is Pakistan Involved in the Pahalgam Terror Attack?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Farooq Abdullah connects the Pahalgam attack to past terror events.
- Calls for justice and accountability from the authorities.
- Highlights potential involvement of local individuals.
- Suggests that Pakistan aims to disrupt peace in Jammu and Kashmir.
- Urges for stringent measures against the perpetrators.
New Delhi, May 2 (NationPress) Former Union Minister and National Conference party president Farooq Abdullah has suggested a link between Pakistan and the recent Pahalgam terror attack. He indicated that the same individuals responsible for the 26/11, Uri, Pulwama, and Pathankot incidents are behind the tragedy that unfolded in the Baisaran Valley on April 22.
In a conversation with IANS, the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir expressed that the Pahalgam attack is a 'deeply distressing' act and a 'murder of humanity.' He remarked, 'Anyone could be involved in the Pahalgam incident. Until we catch them, we cannot say who it is. The handlers must be the same ones who did it before. It’s not just about today. They did it in URI too. You must have seen what happened in Pulwama. Who did it in Mumbai? Who did it in Pathankot? Who did it in Rajouri and Poonch? The handlers are sitting there.'
He further claimed that Pakistan aims to disrupt the ongoing peace and progress in Jammu and Kashmir, stating, 'They feel that we are living in peace, living calmly, thousands of tourists are roaming here. They didn’t like it. They want us not to stay with them. Since 1947, they have tried to destroy as much as they can and will continue to try.'
Abdullah called for stringent measures against those responsible for the Pahalgam attack, which resulted in the loss of 26 lives, emphasizing, 'The culprits should be apprehended and given exemplary punishment.'
He also raised concerns about the potential involvement of local Kashmiris in the attack, questioning, 'I don’t think this kind of thing can happen without some kind of help. Unless someone supports them, how did they come, from where did they come?'
Indications suggest that Rauf Asghar, a member of the Jaish-e-Mohammed terrorist group and brother of its leader Masood Azhar, may be among the masterminds behind the Pahalgam attack. Abdullah expressed regret over the Indian government's decision to release Azhar in exchange for hostages from the hijacked Indian Airlines Flight 814 in Kandahar in December 1999. He lamented, 'I said earlier too, when Azhar was released, I said don’t release him. He has already made his paths. Who knows if he is involved in this too? But no one listened to me. They took him to Pakistan. Children were killed here. They shot my cousin at his home. We caught him with great difficulty, but they took him in a plane to Kandahar. No one listened to us in that.'