NC chief demands probe into twin terror attacks in J&K, asks Pakistan to stop terrorism

Mendhar/Jammu: National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Sunday urged the Centre to order a probe into the twin terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir a day earlier and also asked Pakistan to stop supporting terrorism in the region.

The former chief minister said if a probe is not ordered into the two gruesome incidents, his party would "invite an international committee" to conduct an investigation to find out the culprits behind such attacks.

Terrorists struck at two places in Kashmir on Saturday night, killing Aijaz Sheikh, a former sarpanch affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in Shopian and injuring a tourist couple from Rajasthan in Anantnag.

"I have been repeatedly saying that those sitting in Delhi are misleading the people by saying Article 370 was responsible for terrorism. How many years have passed since the abrogation of the Article? Has terrorism stopped?” Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of an election rally in the Mendhar area of Poonch district.

Referring to the killing of Sheikh, he said an innocent former sarpanch of BJP lost his life in the attack.

"Had he not the right to live? This is a free country and any party can propagate their ideology. Who killed him should be probed and that too soon," the NC chief said.

He also demanded an investigation into the attack on the tourists in Anantnag.

"If they (Centre) do not go for the probe, we should invite an international committee to investigate who is responsible for such attacks," Abdullah said.

He said peace will elude the region till the terrorism is completely stopped.

"I want to tell our neigbhour Pakistan to stop terrorism (in J&K). After the terror activities are stopped, both countries can sit together and resolve their issues," he said.

Abdullah claimed that Home Minister Amit Shah met NC detractors during his recent two-day tour of Srinagar.

"He is the home minister and can visit to oversee the arrangements. But I was told that he had specially invited some people and the meeting continued past midnight. He has not met me but met those who are against our party. You can judge yourself what was the purpose of the visit,” he said.

Asked about Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari's claim that the home minister had come to benefit NC and PDP ahead of the fifth and sixth phase of parliamentary elections, Abdullah said he did not want to talk about the party and their claims.

"Who brought the gun here (in J&K) and who raised a party which brought the gun from across the border and targeted our innocent people and workers? Who was the person getting money from Pakistan and distributing it among the people here?" he said without naming anyone but apparently referring to separatist-turned-mainstream politician Sajad Lone.

Abdullah said he had repeatedly told the Parliament that the same people are now standing with the BJP.