DH NEWS SERVICE
Srinagar, may 21
The ruling National Conference on Wednesday passed seven resolutions in which it condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and reaffirmed its commitment to the restoration of special status and statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
The other resolutions, passed by the working committee of the party at a meeting chaired by party president Farooq Abdullah and attended by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, called for sustained peace and dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir.
The NC said the “spontaneous and overwhelming” support of the people of J-K in condemning the Pahalgam attack presented a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” that should not be squandered as it criticised the harassment of Kashmiris in other parts of the country in the wake of the attack.
In the first resolution, the NC working committee strongly condemned the attack in the Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 people, including a young Kashmiri, Syed Adil Hussain Shah.
It also denounced the continued cross-border shelling that took the lives of 23 civilians.
The working committee passed another resolution unanimously, reaffirming its unwavering commitment to the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.
“The committee reiterated that this is central to the aspirations and dignity of the people and must be addressed without further delay and we will continue to fight for its restoration,” read the resolution, which was released to the media.
The ruling party also urged the Government of India “to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir immediately, as promised on the floor of Parliament and repeatedly echoed in the public domain and also as committed by the constitution bench of the Supreme Court”.
The government abrogated Article 370, which gave special status to J-K in 2019, and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union Territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The committee welcomed the cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan and called upon “both the countries to uphold peace and explore long-lasting, peaceful solutions to end violence”.
The working committee reiterated the party’s unwavering commitment to the promises made in its manifesto and reaffirmed its resolve to continue “the political and constitutional struggle for justice, peace and the rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir through democratic means”.
The committee appreciated the spontaneous and overwhelming support of the people of Jammu and Kashmir in unequivocally condemning the Baisaran attack in Pahalgam. It also acknowledged the compassion and hospitality extended to tourists who found themselves stranded in the Valley during challenging circumstances.
“The committee called upon the Government of India to recognise and respect this powerful expression of solidarity and not squander the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity extended by the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
It further cautioned that arbitrary arrests, harassment of youth, targeted use of bulldozers, and intimidation of legitimate media voices will only alienate the very people who have stood firmly for peace and against violence,” the resolution read.
The working committee expressed “serious concern” over the reports of harassment faced by students, traders and residents from Jammu and Kashmir in various parts of the country.
It strongly condemned the selective targeting of Kashmiris in the aftermath of the terror attack.
“The committee called upon all state governments to ensure the safety, dignity, and protection of the lives and property of all people from Jammu and Kashmir living or working in other parts of India,” it added.
