Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Sunday criticised National Conference president Farooq Abdullah over his remarks on Pakistan’s role in the Kashmir issue, describing the statement as incorrect and rejecting the suggestion that Pakistan’s international interventions had helped protect the region.
Azad responded to Abdullah’s comments made during a party event in Budgam district on Saturday. Abdullah had claimed that Pakistan’s repeated raising of the Kashmir issue at international forums had helped keep the region safe.
Expressing disagreement, Azad said he respected Abdullah but did not agree with his assessment. He also pointed to the situation in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, where residents have been protesting for their rights.
Azad highlighted the contributions of successive Indian governments towards Jammu and Kashmir’s development since 1947, arguing that administrations led by different political parties had played a role in the region’s progress.
Shia leader and former minister Imran Ansari also criticised Abdullah’s remarks, urging Kashmiris not to follow the National Conference chief’s political approach.
Ansari questioned what he described as unequal treatment of political voices in the region. He alleged that prominent leaders were permitted to make controversial statements while ordinary Kashmiris could face detention under laws such as the Public Safety Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for expressing similar views.
The controversy also prompted a strong reaction from the Bharatiya Janata Party. BJP spokesperson Altaf Thakur demanded police action against Abdullah, describing his remarks as anti national and alleging that they gave political legitimacy to Pakistan’s position on Kashmir.
Thakur argued that Pakistan’s involvement in Jammu and Kashmir had resulted in decades of violence, terrorism and targeted killings. He rejected the suggestion that Pakistan had protected the region, pointing instead to the suffering caused by militancy and instability.
The exchange has intensified the political debate over Pakistan’s role in Kashmir, with leaders from different political backgrounds sharply disagreeing over the interpretation of the region’s history, security situation and future.
