Farooq Abdullah (File photo)
NEW DELHI: Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) chief Farooq Abdullah addressed India-Pakistan relations on Saturday in light of the blast at Nowgam Police Station which was after the explosion near Red Fort in Delhi. He made claims on Operation Sindoor “again” and India-Pakistan relations.The Nowgam incident resulted in nine casualties, 32 injuries and substantial structural damage while the Delhi blast killed 12 people.In his interview with ANI, Abdullah said, “I hope no such thing (Operation Sindoor) will happen. Nothing came out of it (Operation Sindoor). Our 18 people died. Our borders were compromised. I hope both nations improve their relations. That is the only way. I want to repeat what Vajpayee Ji said, friends can be changed, but neighbours cannot.”Abdullah also called for an extensive independent inquiry into the Nowgam incident today, suggesting that improper handling of explosives potentially led to the incident that resulted in nine fatalities and damage to residential buildings.In his earlier Srinagar interview with ANI, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister expressed concern about the handling of explosive materials by local authorities, emphasising the importance of consulting specialists. “This is our mistake, those who understand this explosive better, we should have talked to them first about how to deal with it instead of trying to handle it ourselves, you saw the result, nine people lost their lives. So much damage was caused to the houses there,” he had said.Abdullah discussed the impact of the Nowgam incident in relation to the current climate of distrust towards Kashmiri residents across the nation following the Delhi blast. “We haven’t yet come out of the crisis in Delhi where fingers are being pointed at every Kashmiri. When will that day come when they will accept that we are Indians and we are not responsible for this, ask those who are responsible why these doctors had to take this path? What was the reason?” he commented.The JKNC leader emphasised the need for accountability, noting that the circumstances of the blast, including the suspected involvement of medical professionals, require detailed investigation. “There is a need for a thorough investigation and study of this,” he stated, urging authorities to determine responsibility and implement preventive measures.The Jammu and Kashmir Police are currently investigating the Nowgam explosion, which occurred while handling an explosive device within the police station.
