Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, along with National Conference president Dr. Farooq Abdullah and other party leaders, gathered at the Sheri-Kashmir International Conference Centre in Srinagar on Thursday for an all-party meeting.
This meeting was convened by Omar Abdullah to discuss the way forward in promoting peace, justice, and resilience following the Pahalgam terror attack in the valley. On Wednesday, he emphasized, “It is our collective duty—as representatives of the people and custodians of democratic values—to unite regardless of our political affiliations in our response. Therefore, I am calling an all-party meeting to address the situation, collectively condemn this act of terror, and discuss how we can ensure peace and justice. The meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, April 24, 2025, at 3 PM at SKICC, Srinagar.”
In parallel, the central government has also organized an all-party meeting to address the Pahalgam attack, set to take place at 6 PM on Thursday in Parliament, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
Earlier today, the Congress party called on the central government to conduct a “comprehensive analysis of the security failures” that led to the attack in Pahalgam, which is typically well-guarded. Venugopal stated in a press briefing, “Pahalgam is known for its three-tier security arrangement. It is essential to analyze the security lapses that allowed such an attack in this Union territory, directly overseen by the Union Home Ministry. This issue must be raised in the larger public interest.”
The recent terrorist attack in the tourist area of Pahalgam resulted in the deaths of 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen, injuring many others. This incident is among the deadliest in the valley since the 2019 Pulwama attack, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel. In response, the central government announced several diplomatic measures, including the immediate closure of the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari, suspending the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) for Pakistani nationals, and requiring them to leave the country within 40 hours. Additionally, the number of officers at both High Commissions will be reduced.
