J&K Parties Worried Over Return of Militancy Loss of Precious Lives of Brave Soldiers

Srinar: Various mainstream political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have voiced their serious concern over the increasing incidence of deadly terror attacks in the Union Territory’s Poonch-Rajouri region and urged the government to take steps “to ensure no more precious lives of our brave soldiers or innocent civilians are lost.”

Former chief minister and Chairman Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP), Ghulam Nabi Azad, said that the killing four Army jawans and injuring three others by militants in Poonch’s Dera ki Gali area on Thursday is “devastating for us all.”

Expressing his concern over the return of militancy and terrorism to the border belt, Mr. Azad said, “Terrorism is hitting the Jammu region again which is alarming, but we stand united against this menace”. He urged the government to take “swift and decisive action” for the safety of all citizens.

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah, who has served J&K as chief minister thrice said, “What happened in Poonch yesterday serves as an alarm that terrorism has not ended in J&K. They (government) are only talking about boosting tourism in Kashmir. Even if one tourist gets shot, no one will come here.”

People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, earlier wrote on ‘X’, “Terrible news. Condemn this dastardly attack. Deepest condolences to their families & loved ones”.

BJP’s J&K unit chief Ravinder Raina blamed Pakistan for the surge in terror attacks in Poonch-Rajouri. But while condemning Thursday’s “gruesome attacks on our gallant soldiers”, he said that Islamabad and its “mercenaries” will not be allowed to succeed in their “nefarious designs by revising terrorism in J&K”. He said, “I’m sure our Army and other security forces are capable of stamping out the menace which is trying to raise its ugly head in the region again.”

Zorawar Singh Jamwal, chairman of Jammu Team, a pressure group, called for fresh surgical strikes into PoJK. “It is the right time that the Government of India directs the security forces to once again ‘attack and destroy’ terrorist training camps across the border in Pakistan besides giving befitting reply to terrorists by neutralizing their barbaric acts,” he said in a signed statement. He added, “The Centre government should adopt a proactive policy to flush out and eliminate all terrorists operating in different parts of the state.”

The Congress party, Shiv Sena and several regional political groups too have condemned the Poonch attack and while sympathising with the slain soldiers’ families and the injured called for measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.

However, J&K Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, who is in Kolkata where he spoke at a special session on 'Scope of Industry in Jammu Kashmir' organised by Calcutta Chamber of Commerce (CCC), on Friday has claimed the security situation in the UT has improved considerably after the abrogation of Article 370 and terrorism is on its deathbed.

Terming the Poonch incident as “unfortunate”, he reiterated that Pakistan has continued to foment trouble in J&K. He told reports, “It is a very unfortunate incident. We condemn such violence. Our neighbour has been doing such things to disturb peace in the Valley. But it’s all in vain, as terrorism is on its deathbed in Kashmir.”