SRINAGAR — National Conference MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi on Wednesday condemned the terror attack in Pahalgam, saying the outrage expressed in Kashmir proves that the perpetrators were neither adherents of Islam nor the well-wishers of the people of the valley.
“This is terrorism against which we have been fighting for the last 40 years and giving our blood. Unfortunately, this terrorism has still not stopped. Words are not enough to condemn yesterday’s violence,” Mehdi told reporters in Budgam district in central Kashmir.
He said it is not just the loss for those who were killed in Pahalgam, “it is a loss for all of us”.
“It is not their blood, it is our blood that has been spilled. The people of J&K are united against it. The reaction since yesterday, prove that the people of J&K do not support it,” he said.
The Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar said the perpetrators of the attack were neither the adherents of Islam nor the well-wishers of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Whoever did this, they neither belong to our religion nor to the people of J&K. The people of J&K are saying that such acts and terror should not be done in our name or in the name of our religion. We hope that the perpetrators are brought to justice soon,” he added.
Asked what steps could be taken to stop such attacks in the future, Mehdi said the Centre’s claims that they have ended terrorism in J&K after abrogation of Article 370 has been proved wrong.
“This is not a time to respond to such a question. It will be better if he (Amit Shah) does his job and does it right. The claims they had made and the falsehood they spread that after the abrogation of Article 370, that they have ended terrorism in J&K, to a large extent, the attack has proven wrong those claims.
“We used to say that the killing of innocents has not stopped here and the issue has not ended with this lie. I hope that they come out of from their illusions and wake up from their slumber and work for the security of this country and not for their party agenda and propaganda,” he added.
Terrorists struck at a prime tourist location in Pahalgam in south Kashmir on Tuesday, killing at least 26 people, mostly tourists, and injuring several others. The deceased included two foreigners — from the UAE and Nepal — and two locals. — (PTI)