National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Saturday declared that “Kashmir will never be Pakistani and we will never become Pakistan” at a Srinagar book launch attended by leaders from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Indian National Congress.
The three-time former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister was speaking at the release of “Healer in Exile: The Untold Story of Dr. Sushil Razdan”, authored by Sachin Razdan. Abdullah rejected the two-nation theory and pitched unity in diversity as the foundation of the Indian Union.
Kashmir will never be Pakistani and we will never become Pakistan. We will die and not allow it to happen.
Farooq Abdullah, President, Jammu & Kashmir National Conference · Book launch, Srinagar · 02 May 2026
Abdullah expressed regret over the 1990 exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valley, stating the local population had failed to stand with the community during the migration. He clarified that Kashmiri Muslims were not responsible for the displacement and urged Pandit families to resettle in the Valley.
The National Conference chief named Pakistan as the external actor attempting to destabilise Jammu and Kashmir. He cited the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people as a turning point that triggered public protests against militancy across the Valley.
Drug crisis flagged as parallel threat
Beyond cross-border terrorism, Abdullah described narcotics abuse as a direct threat to the youth of Jammu and Kashmir. He called for a joint civic-administrative response, without naming a specific scheme or allocation.
ℹ️ Context: Abdullah's recent positions
- Publicly urged Pakistan to end the violence cycle in J&K on multiple occasions in 2025-26
- Acknowledged a decline in terror incidents but linked continued unrest to Islamabad’s refusal to accept J&K as Indian territory
- National Conference won the October 2024 J&K assembly election; son Omar Abdullah is the current chief minister
- Next full assembly cycle expected around 2029
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Political signal
The Srinagar event drew cross-party attendance, with PDP, BJP and Congress leaders sharing the dais — an unusual configuration in the Valley’s polarised politics. Abdullah used the platform to push a pluralist line, calling for unity among Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs to counter what he described as divisive external efforts.
His appeal to Kashmiri Pandits comes as the Union Ministry of Home Affairs continues to operate the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP) for return and rehabilitation of migrants, under which 6,000 government jobs and transit accommodation were sanctioned for the community in earlier tranches.
The next test for Abdullah’s messaging will be the J&K Budget Session and the urban local body elections expected in the second half of 2026, where the National Conference faces pressure from both the BJP and a rebuilding PDP. The next full assembly cycle is expected around 2029.
FAQ
What did Farooq Abdullah say about Pakistan?
Did he address the Kashmiri Pandit exodus?
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