On the afternoon of April 22, 26 individuals, primarily tourists, lost their lives when a group of armed terrorists opened fire in Pahalgam town, J&K. The attack occurred in Baisaran, approximately six kilometers from the Pahalgam resort area.
During a special session of the Assembly, Omar stated, “None of us condones this attack. It has left us hollow. We are striving to find a glimmer of hope in this… In the last 26 years, I’ve never witnessed such a public outcry against an attack like this…”
As the tourism minister of J&K, Omar acknowledged his failure to ensure the safe return of tourists. “An attack of this magnitude has taken place in Baisaran after 21 years… I was at a loss for words to apologize to the families of the victims… As the host, it was my responsibility to ensure the tourists’ safety. I fell short. I lack the words to express my regret.”
He emphasized that he wouldn’t use this moment to demand statehood for Jammu and Kashmir amidst such loss. “How can I, following Pahalgam, ask for statehood? Meri kya itni sasti siyasat hai? (Is my governance so cheap?) We’ve discussed statehood in the past and will do so again, but it would be disgraceful for me to approach the central government after this tragedy, requesting statehood,” he said.
The Assembly unanimously passed a resolution condemning the attack in Pahalgam. Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary introduced the resolution during a special session, which commenced with members observing a two-minute silence to honor the victims of last week’s tragedy.
“The Legislative Assembly of Jammu and Kashmir reaffirms its unwavering commitment to nurturing peace, development, and inclusive prosperity for all its citizens, and to decisively counter the malicious designs of those aiming to disrupt communal harmony and progress in the nation and in Jammu and Kashmir,” the resolution declared.
The deputy chief minister expressed, “This House conveys its deep shock and sorrow over the barbaric and inhumane attack on innocent civilians in Pahalgam on April 22.” He condemned this heinous and cowardly act that resulted in the loss of innocent lives.
