Srinagar, April 23: J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has called an all-party meeting on Thursday in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians were killed by terrorists in Baisaran meadow.
The Chief Minister has invited all political parties, members of Parliament from Jammu and Kashmir, and the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly for the meeting. The meeting will be held at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar at 3 p.m.. “…The lives lost and the anguish inflicted upon innocent citizens have deeply shaken us all.
This is not merely a tragedy for a region or party – it is a wound upon the very soul of Jammu & Kashmir”, the Chief Minister wrote in the invitation letter. “In this sombre moment, I believe it is our collective duty – as representatives of the people and as custodians of democratic values – to come together irrespective of our political affiliations and stand united in our response. I am, therefore, convening an all-party meeting to discuss the situation, express our joint condemnation of this act of terror and deliberate on the path ahead in ensuring peace, justice, and resilience…,” he added.
The UT government has announced ex gratia relief of Rs 10 lakh for the family of the slain civilians, Rs 2 lakh for the injured, and Rs 1 lakh for those who suffered minor injuries in the terrorist attack.
The security forces started a massive tech-assisted anti-terrorist operation to trace and hunt down the terrorists responsible for the Baisaran meadow massacre. Drones, helicopters, sniffer dogs, etc, are being used to take the anti-terrorist operation to its logical conclusion.
While 25 tourists were killed in the terrorist attack, a local ponywallah, identified as Asif, was also killed by the terrorists. Eye-witnesses said that Asif clashed with the terrorists to save the tourists, and he even tried to snatch the weapon of one of the terrorists, but was shot dead in the scuffle.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who cut short his Saudi Arabia visit, has chaired the meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) in New Delhi, where the Pahalgam terror attack was discussed, as also the response needed to ensure that the terrorists never venture to carry out such attacks in the future.
Before flying back to New Delhi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah met the families of the victims and assured them that the blood of their loved ones would be avenged. Amit Shah also conveyed a powerful message to the terrorists and their handlers by visiting Baisaran meadow to lay a wreath in memory of the slain civilians and take a firsthand account of the anti-terrorist operation being carried out there.
IANS