Yogesh
Jammu, May 9: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday accused Pakistan of attempting to escalate tensions along the border, saying it would be in their best interest to lower their guns to improve the situation.
Addressing reporters after meeting families from border districts, Omar Abdullah, said Pakistan has launched drone attacks targeting civilians in Jammu city—an unprecedented move since the 1971 war.
“I don’t believe Jammu has ever been targeted like this before. Credit goes to our defence forces for thwarting these attempts; not a single drone has successfully reached its target. There are reports that an ammunition depot in Anantnag was also targeted but was intercepted,” he said.
Abdullah said the current situation was not of India’s making. “It was initiated after the Pahalgam attack, which resulted in innocent lives lost. We responded appropriately. However, Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to escalate the situation will not yield any benefits and will only lead to more losses for them,” he asserted.
Omar called on Pakistan to de-escalate tensions instead of focusing on escalation. “The events last night clearly show that Pakistan is trying to escalate the conflict. This will only bring more losses for them. It is better for Pakistan to take measures to reduce tensions rather than increase them,” he added.
The Chief Minister also briefed on the situation in Poonch, where severe damage, casualties and injuries have been reported. He met with those injured in hospitals on Friday and said that one critically injured person was transferred to a hospital in Chandigarh for advanced treatment. “I have spoken with the Deputy Chief Minister, who will be visiting Poonch to assess the situation firsthand,” he said.
Earlier, Omar travelled to Jammu to visit hospitals and meet those injured due to the Pakistan shelling in Poonch. He visited relief camps and evacuation centres across Jammu and Samba districts, including Mishriwala, Nagbani, Bishnah and Thandi Khui, to review relief and aid arrangements for displaced families.
Accompanied by his Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani; Minister for Food, Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Satish Sharma and other officials, the Chief Minister interacted with displaced families and inspected provisions of food, shelter, medical aid and other essentials.
He assured that all possible measures are being taken to support the affected people. “They wish to stay in their homes, but safety concerns have necessitated their relocation. We are doing our best to provide all facilities to those in the camps,” Omar said. (KNO)
