Single Protest Won’t Secure Statehood; Sustained Efforts Needed: CM Omar Abdullah

Ganderbal, Jul 30: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said that restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood requires sustained efforts and cannot be achieved through a single protest. Speaking to reporters in Ganderbal, Omar said the National Conference has been consistently pursuing the demand and did not wait for a specific date to raise the issue. “We knew we would not achieve the objective through one protest in Delhi. The promise made to the people of Jammu and Kashmir regarding restoration of statehood is yet to be fulfilled, and we will continue our efforts until it is honoured,” he said. The Chief Minister noted that the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly had already passed a resolution seeking the restoration of the erstwhile state’s special status and constitutional guarantees, which has been forwarded to the Centre. He said the party would continue taking all necessary political steps, including those planned around August 5, but stressed that its campaign for statehood has been ongoing and is not tied to a single date. Commenting on the situation in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Omar expressed concern over reports of violence and the use of force against civilians. “We are concerned by the reports emerging from across the Line of Control. We hope peace prevails there and innocent people are not subjected to violence,” he said.