Srinagar, Mar 12: Political leaders from various parties across the country expressed strong concern over the firing incident that targeted former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah during a wedding ceremony in Jammu.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former CM Mehbooba Mufti said she was shocked by the incident and called for a thorough probe. “Shocked to hear about the grave attack on Dr Farooq Abdullah sahab. Relieved to know that he’s safe and doing well. Hope police gets to the bottom of this very perturbing security lapse.”
Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also condemned the incident and raised concern about the security lapse. “News about the attempt on Dr Farooq Abdullah Sahibs life at a function in Jammu is concerning and condemnable. Relieved to know that he escaped unhurt. That someone with a loaded weapon got so close and fired at him, needs to be thoroughly probed.”
Member of Parliament Ruhullah Mehdi termed the incident reprehensible and called for strict legal action against those responsible. “Member of Parliament Ruhullah Mehdi has strongly condemned the reprehensible incident reported in Jammu in which fire was opened on Dr Farooq Abdullah and Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Chaudhary during a wedding function. He stated that such acts of violence are deeply concerning and emphasised that those responsible must be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.”
J&K Pradesh Congress Committee president Tariq Karra described the incident as disturbing and raised questions about the security situation. “Strongly condemn the shocking firing incident on former CM Farooq Abdullah and other senior leaders. Such acts of violence are deeply disturbing and raise serious concerns about the prevailing security scenario in the region,” Karra said in a post on X.
CPI(M) leader M Y Tarigami also condemned the attack and demanded a probe into the lapse. “Strongly condemn the assassination bid on Farooq Abdullah Sahab. Fortunately, he escaped unhurt. The incident demands a thorough probe. It must be probed how an assailant carrying a loaded pistol managed to get so close to a serious security lapse,” he said.
All India Congress general secretary and Congress Legislative Party leader Ghulam Ahmed Mir also condemned the incident and described such occurrences in public places as unfortunate.
People’s Conference leader and MLA Handwara Sajad Gani Lone condemned the firing and said it was fortunate that those present remained safe. “Condemn the cowardly firing at Dr Farooq sahib and Surinder Choudhary Ji and Nasir Aslam sahib. Thanks to Allah Almighty that they are safe.”
BJP MLA Vikram Randhawa visited the residence of Abdullah to express solidarity and said the incident was condemnable.
“Such incidents have never had a place in Jammu. Even at the peak of militancy, the region maintained harmony. What has happened now is highly condemnable,” he said.
BJP spokesperson Advocate Sunil Sethi said party leaders in J&K discussed the incident and expressed serious concern over the attack.
Addressing the meeting, Sethi said violence has no place in a democratic society and political differences must be resolved through dialogue and constitutional means. “The BJP firmly opposes such acts and reiterates that the party does not support any activity that threatens peace and democratic functioning,” he said.
Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari also reacted to the incident and expressed relief that the veteran leader remained safe. “We should thank God that Dr Sahab survived,” Altaf Bukhari said while commenting on the assassination bid on Farooq Abdullah.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren also expressed concern over the attack and said the violent act deserves condemnation and strict action.
Awami Itihaad Party (AIP) strongly condemned the alleged assassination attempt on Dr Farooq Abdullah.
In a statement, AIP Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi termed the incident deeply disturbing and said that such acts of violence have no place in a democratic society. He said targeting political leaders in social gatherings is a serious matter and must be investigated thoroughly so that those responsible are identified and brought to justice.
Conveying his concern, Member of Parliament from Baramulla Engineer Rashid (Er Rashid), strongly condemned the incident and expressed solidarity with Dr Farooq Abdullah and his family. Er Rashid said that political differences should never translate into violence and intolerance.
Inam said Er Rashid has conveyed his best wishes for the safety and well-being of Dr Farooq Abdullah and prayed for his good health. He added that the Baramulla MP has urged the authorities to conduct a proper investigation into the incident and ensure that adequate security measures are put in place so that such incidents are prevented in the future.
All Party Sikh Coordination Committee (APSCC) Chairman and senior political leader Jagmohan Singh Raina strongly condemned the recent attack on National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah, terming the incident a serious security breach.
Raina said that while crime rates in Jammu are increasing, Kashmir has comparatively witnessed lower crime levels, but such an attack on a senior political leader raises serious concerns about security arrangements. He appealed to the security agencies to conduct a proper and thorough investigation into the incident and identify those responsible.
The APSCC chief further stated that if a leader of Farooq Abdullah’s stature is not safe, it naturally raises questions about the safety of common citizens, urging authorities to ensure stronger security measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
Meanwhile, the Kashmir Houseboat Owners Association strongly condemned the incident and demanded strict action against those responsible.
In a statement, the association’s president Manzoor Ahmad Pakhtoon termed the assault highly unfortunate and unacceptable.
“We strongly condemn the assault on Dr Farooq Abdullah. Such incidents are deeply disturbing and have no place in a civilised and democratic society. Differences of opinion should always be expressed through peaceful and democratic means,” Pakhtoon said.
He urged authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice without delay. Pakhtoon also expressed solidarity with Abdullah and wished him good health and safety. “J&K has a long tradition of political dialogue and mutual respect, and such incidents should not undermine harmony and coexistence in the region,” Pakhtoon said. The association also appealed to people from all walks of life to maintain restraint and uphold democratic values.
