Farooq Abdullah was president of the JKCA from 2001 to 2011. 
| Photo Credit: ANI

National Conference (JKNC) President Farooq Abdullah
| Photo Credit: The Hindu

Jammu:

National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday condemned the attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan and stated that an entire nation cannot be blamed for the actions of one individual.

Addressing the media, Abdullah said “I am against these things happening and I wish him well. If someone has come and attacked Saif Ali Khan, you can’t blame a nation for one man’s doings. How can you put one person who does something one the nation.”

Meanwhile, the actor was discharged from the Lilavati Hospital after five days of treatment.

His return home was closely followed by heavy police security, and visuals of the actor exiting the hospital with a smile and waving at the paparazzi.

Saif greeted his fans and the media present outside his residence as he made his way back home.

On Wednesday, Mumbai Police reached the ‘Devara’ actor’s home to record his statement on the matter.

Actor Ronit Roy, known for his roles in TV shows and films, was seen with Saif as he returned home on Tuesday.

Many were curious about Roy’s presence, as he was seen coordinating with police officials and overseeing security arrangements at Saif and Kareena Kapoor’s home.

It has since been confirmed that Saif Ali Khan has employed Ronit Roy’s security firm, ‘Ace Security and Protection,’ to enhance his safety following the attack.

Saif was attacked last week by an intruder, later identified as Mohd Shariful Islam Shehzad, who entered his home with the intent of theft.

The actor attempted to intervene, leading to a violent confrontation during which he sustained stab wounds to his thoracic spine. Saif was rushed to Lilavati Hospital for immediate treatment following the attack.

The auto-rickshaw driver who helped Saif that night spoke to ANI, recalling the incident in detail.

“It was around 2-3 a.m. when I saw a woman trying to hire an auto, but nobody stopped. I also heard calls for a rickshaw from inside the gate. I took a U-turn and stopped my vehicle near the gate. A man covered in blood came out, along with 2-4 others. They put him in the auto and decided to go to Lilavati Hospital. I dropped them there, and later I came to know that he was Saif Ali Khan,” the driver, Rana, shared.

He described seeing Saif bleeding from his neck and back as he rushed to the hospital.

The accused, Shehzad, was apprehended at Hiranandani Estate in Thane while attempting to flee to his native village in Bangladesh. The police said he hails from the Jhalokati district in Bangladesh.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Jammu:

The National Conference government headed by Omar Abdullah would not “fight” the Centre but work with it to resolve the problems faced by Jammu and Kashmir, party president Farooq Abdullah asserted here on Thursday.

“We don’t want to fight New Delhi. We want to work together with Delhi to resolve the state’s problems. We don’t want to engage in battles. Those who want to fight can do so,” the former chief minister told reporters here.

His remarks came in the backdrop of party Lok Sabha MP Aga Rullah’s comments during a TV interview that Omar Abdullah should not distance himself from the aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and should not be seen by the people as a “Delhi’s representative”.

Addressing concerns about the unity within the INDIA bloc, Mr Abdullah said the alliance is not just about contesting elections, but it is about strengthening India and eliminating hatred.

“The alliance is permanent — it is for every day and every moment,” he said.

He was replying to media questions on a range of issues including fissures in the INDIA bloc with the AAP and Congress fighting the Delhi polls separately, the dual power structure in Jammu and Kashmir, the Maha Kumbh and the Tirupati stampede.

He expressed concern over unemployment in Jammu and Kashmir, calling it a significant issue in the region.

“How will people’s problem be solved when unemployment is so severe here? Our hospitals and schools are in dire condition. We need teachers, doctors, and paramedics, but instead, unnecessary battles are being fought,” he said.

Mr Abdullah said his National Conference has nothing to do with the BJP, but it is the responsibility of the central government to support state governments in addressing local issues.

“We are not with the BJP, nor do we have any connection with them,” he said.

Mr Abdullah stressed that both the central and state governments should prioritise the needs of the people rather than engaging in conflicts that hinder progress.

Reacting to claims about his son and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah being influenced by New Delhi, the NC chief said, “Omar Abdullah has been elected as the chief minister by the people. He does not act on anyone’s instructions. He acts on his own. Those who are under this impression should come out of it.”

Replying to a question about Wednesday’s Tirupati temple stampede that killed six pilgrims, he urged the government to ensure that incidents causing loss of life are prevented, particularly at religious sites and during festivals.

He highlighted the importance of proactive planning at places of worship, which attract lakhs of devotees, to ensure safety and security, especially for women.

“With the Maha Kumbh approaching, the authorities must take adequate measures to avoid any mismanagement. This is a once-in-twelve-year event where millions visit the Ganga. The government must ensure proper arrangements to prevent any untoward incidents,” he said, underlining the cultural and religious significance of such events in India.

On a question about rumblings within the INDIA bloc, Mr Abdullah said, “The alliance is not just about contesting elections. It is about strengthening India and eliminating hatred. Those who believe this alliance exists only for parliamentary elections are mistaken. The alliance is permanent — it is for every day and every moment.”

Responding to questions about the dual governance structure, Mr Abdullah reiterated the demand for statehood, stating that the dual power structure in Jammu and Kashmir would stabilise once full statehood is restored.

On a controversy over a person facing a probe joining the National Conference, Mr Abdullah said, “I was unaware of his involvement in any case. We announced yesterday that until he is cleared of all charges, he will not be admitted into the party.”

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

National Conference boss Farooq Abdullah has called out Pakistan as the source of terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir and warned that country to “put an end” to its constant attacks. He urged Islamabad to “find a way to be friends… otherwise issues will arise”.

His comment follows a worrying series of terror attacks in the former state, including one late Thursday night in which an Army vehicle in Baramulla was targeted and four people – two soldiers and two civilians – were killed. Three days earlier six construction workers and a doctor were gunned down.

“These (terror attacks) will continue in the state till we find a suitable solution… we are all aware of the origin. For 30 years I have witnessed the killing of innocent people. Why are they (Pakistan) doing this and sabotaging their own future… when we will not be a part of Pakistan?”

“Many of our colleagues have been martyred… but it continues every year and you know the ones responsible for it. They mistakenly think this will help them unite Kashmir with Pakistan…”

Baramulla, J&K: JKNC President Farooq Abdullah reacts to the recent terror attack, says, “I have been witnessing this since 1984. This terrorism has not stopped. Many of our colleagues were martyred, but it still continues every year. This means it has not stopped, and you know… pic.twitter.com/isPorL3eCf

— IANS (@ians_india) October 25, 2024

“They ought to focus on problems facing their nation. I urge them to put an end to this and find a way to be friends… otherwise, issues will arise.” Mr Abdullah told a local news channel.

“I am sorry to the families of those who were hurt and those who died,” he said, echoing the statement last night by his son and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Very unfortunate news about the attack on the army vehicles in the Boota Pathri area of North Kashmir which has resulted in some casualties & injuries. This recent spate of attacks in Kashmir is a matter of serious concern. I condemn this attack is the strongest possible terms &…

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 24, 2024

Earlier today intelligence community sources told NDTV of a terrorist training camp in Pakistan’s Abbottabad – the home of former al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden – running next to a Pak Army base.

READ | ‘Terror Factory’ In Pak’s Abbottabad, Where Bin Laden Had Base

Farooq Abdullah’s comment also comes amid criticism from the BJP, which pounced on a statement by Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif that the NC and the Congress’ position on restoration of Article 370 – which was mentioned in their election manifestos – were the same. “Pakistan, a terrorist state, endorses Congress and NC’s position on Kashmir…” the BJP’s Amit Malviya said on X.

READ | “I Don’t Know What Pak Says. I Am An Indian Citizen”: Farooq Abdullah

Mr Abdullah’s party swept to victory in this month’s J&K Assembly election – the first in a decade for the former state, which was lost special status in 2019 and bifurcated into two union territories.

The NC had allied with the Congress, under the INDIA bloc banner, but eventually did not need the beleaguered national party’s support, winning 42 of 90 elected seats on its own and then being backed by four independents and the lone AAP MLA, taking it past the majority mark of 46.

Mr Abdullah’s son, Omar Abdullah, took oath as Chief Minister last week.

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Srinagar:

The National Conference is open to a strategic post-poll alliance with the People’s Democratic Party to keep the Bharatiya Janata Party out of power after the 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election, NC leader and ex Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah said Monday afternoon.

“Why not…” Mr Abdullah asked reporters when asked about an alliance, “How does it matter? If we all work for the same thing… for improvement in the condition of the people of the state. We can be rivals in elections but I have no objections. I am sure Congress will not either.”

Mr Abdullah, 86, however, ruled out any chance of staking claim to the Chief Minister’s post should his alliance win the election. “I will not be the Chief Minister…let this be clear. I have done my job. My problem will be – how can we make a strong government…”

He also said he had no problem approaching elected independent lawmakers for support, but warned, “I will not go beg before them. If they feel they can strengthen the state, then welcome.”

The NC and the Congress are allied under the INDIA bloc umbrella.

The PDP was also invited to join the alliance but a seat-sharing deal could not be walked out, resulting in former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti’s party contesting independently.

However, with exit polls for tomorrow’s counting of votes suggesting a hung Assembly, the PDP could end up playing ‘kingmaker’ in J&K’s first state election in a decade.

Exit polls indicate the NC-Congress alliance will win the most seats but could fall short of the majority mark of 46 MLAs in the 90-member House. The PDP, which is projected to win between four and 12 seats, could hold the key – for either the NC-Congress or the BJP.

A NC-PDP tie-up was also mooted by Zuhaib Yusuf Mir, the latter’s candidate for the Lal Chowk seat in Srinagar. Mr Mir said the PDP is open to joining the NC and the Congress to ensure the BJP does not grab power in the former state.

“PDP will have an important role in forming any secular government… we have said we are ready to take any step to save the identity of Kashmir but, for this, it is important we form a government against BJP and not with them,” he said.

However, not everyone in the PDP camp seems to share that view. Party boss Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter, Iltija, said any talk of an alliance before results are declared are “unnecessary”.

Senior PDP leadership will take a call on extending support to a “secular front” only once results are declared, she posted on X, “This is our official stand.”

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Udhampur (Jammu and Kashmir):

After Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khwaja Asif said that Pakistan and the NC-Congress alliance were on the same page on the restoration of Article 370, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah said on Thursday that he does not know what Pakistan says.

Speaking to ANI, he said, “I don’t know what Pakistan says. I am not a Pakistani; I am an Indian citizen.”

On the Jammu Kashmir Assembly Polls, he said that everything would be clear in front of the people on October 8.

“Wait till October 8, everything will be clear. The first thing I will do is bring back the Darbar Move. We have both been caused a loss because of the Darbar Move. People used to go there in the winter in the Darbar Move. There was a relationship between Jammu and Kashmir. In summer, they used to come here to finish the work. You can go and ask the people how much loss they have suffered because of the Darbar Move,” he said.

Earlier, the BJP has lashed out at the Congress-National Conference alliance after Pakistan Defence Minister Khwaja Asif said that Pakistan and the alliance were on the same page when it came to the restoration of Article 370 in the Union Territory.

BJP leader Amit Malviya in a post on X said, “Pakistan, a terrorist state, endorses Congress and National Conference’s position on Kashmir. Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, on Hamid Mir’s Capital Talk on Geo News says, “Pakistan and National Conference-Congress alliance are on the same page in Jammu & Kashmir to restore Article 370 and 35A”. How is it that, from Pannun to Pakistan, Rahul Gandhi and his Congress, are always seen on the side of those inimical to India’s interest?”

BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said, “The question is what is this relation of Congress party & NC with Pakistan called?… We can see how the Congress Party National Conference and INDIA Alliance are continuously trying to join hands with Pakistan…”

Earlier speaking on Geo News to senior journalist Hamid Mir in a show Capital Talk, the Pakistan Defence Minister was asked whether Pakistan and National Conference-Congress alliance are on the same page on the restoration of Article 370 and 35A in Jammu and Kashmir.Khwaja Asif replied, “Absolutely. Even our demand is also the same…”

Pakistan’s Defence Minister also claimed that that Article 370 could return should the NC-Congress alliance come to power in JK.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Srinagar:

The Congress and National Conference’s pre-poll alliance was finalised after Rahul Gandhi visited Farooq Abdullah’s residence in Srinagar. Sources said there are still challenges on the seat-sharing but the leadership of both parties have asked negotiators to figure out a formula that works for both parties.

This is the fist time since 1987 when NC and Congress have entered into a pre-poll alliance in Jammu and Kashmir. 

“We had a good meeting, in a cordial atmosphere. The alliance is on track and god willing, it will go smoothly. The alliance is final. It will be signed this evening and the alliance is on all 90 seats,” said Farooq Abdullah.

The announcement came after an hour-long meeting between leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Omar and Farooq Abdullah at their Gupkar home in Srinagar.

The meeting gave out a clear message – despite serious differences over the seat-sharing formula, the top leadership of both parties wanted to fight the assembly elections together.

“Kharge Ji and I have conveyed to Karra sahib (Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president Tariq Karra) that there will be an alliance. But respect of Congress workers and Congress leaders has to be maintained,” said Mr Gandhi.

Both parties have already held three rounds of seat-sharing negotiations and the last one late last night ended on a bitter note as both sides hardened their stand on the number of seats they wanted to contest, the sources said.

During today’s meeting with Rahul Gandhi, the idea of friendly contests on some seats claimed by both sides was also considered, they added.

Rahul Gandhi is on a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir and the restoration of the erstwhile state’s statehood appears to be central to his poll promise.

“We want statehood for you, that is in your heart. We want you to run your state the way you want to, this is the message we came to convey,” he said.

The region was stripped of its statehood and special status under Article 370 in 2019.

Backing Rahul Gandhi’s comments, NC patron Farooq Abdullah said, “People have suffered much in the last 10 years. Statehood is the prime concern for us. And we want all the powers of the state. Our common program is to fight divisive forces. Our doors are open for all, let’s first win the election. My heart is happy today.”

Earlier, while speaking exclusively to NDTV, Omar Abdullah said that seat-sharing “brings with it its own challenges”. “Seat sharing brings with it its own challenges, I have 90 candidates. There is a problem of plenty,” he said. He emphasised that even if they work out a seat-sharing deal with the Congress, it “will not be smooth”.

In the recently held Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress-NC alliance had got 41.7 percent votes while former allies, the BJP and PDP, got 17 and eight percent, respectively.

Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir will be held in three phases on September 18, 25 and October 1. The results will be announced on October 4. This is the first assembly poll in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370.

Jammu:

National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah on Friday announced he will lead the party in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, which will be held in three phases from September 18.

He told PTI that he will contest the elections while his son, Omar Abdullah, has opted to refrain from participating until Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood is restored.

Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised as Union Territory after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Welcoming the Election Commission’s decision to advance the elections, Farooq Abdullah said, “I thank God for this decision. Earlier, there was speculation about the dates being set between the 20th and 25th, so I am pleased they have been moved up.” The elections will be held on September 18, September 25 and October 1. The results of the polls will be announced on October 4.

With the announcement of the polls, the NC chief expressed hope for the end of central rule in the Union Territory.

Emphasising that the NC was always ready for assembly polls, Farooq Abdullah said, “We were prepared for the parliamentary elections and had requested that the assembly elections be held concurrently, but that did not happen.” He expressed optimism about a high voter turnout in the assembly polls. “People will come out in large numbers to participate in the elections,” the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said.

Farooq Abdullah called for a level playing field for all political parties in the region as he alleged that the BJP — the ruling party at the Centre — held “disproportionate advantages”.

“The BJP is in power at the Centre and has access to all types of security compared to other parties. The Election Commission must ensure fairness,” he asserted.

When asked whether the NC would contest the elections independently, he said, “As of now, we have decided so. However, we will have thorough discussions within the party before taking a final decision.” He also urged citizens to prepare for the upcoming panchayat, town area and municipality elections, emphasising the importance of establishing a democratic framework.

On the contentious issue of statehood, Farooq Abdullah lamented the downgrading of Jammu and Kashmir to a Union Territory, saying, “I feel sorry and ashamed of it”.

He challenged the BJP’s leadership by asking how they would feel if their own states were similarly downgraded.

On security concerns, he said while issues have persisted since the 1990s, he believes the current situation has improved compared to the past. “Today, the situation is not as severe. It is better now,” the NC chief said.

In response to the BJP’s claims about forming government in Jammu and Kashmir, he quipped, “May God listen to them. They claimed over 400 seats in the parliamentary elections, but what did they achieve? If the Election Commission had not been there, they would not have secured over 140 seats.” As the NC up for the assembly elections, Farooq Abdullah’s leadership will be pivotal in shaping the party’s strategy and response to the ongoing political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Jammu:

Three youths were injured in a knife attack incident on Sunday at an election rally of the National Conference (NC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district.

The incident happened when the NC chief and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah was present at the venue along with the party candidate.

“There was an election rally by NC in Mendhar area of Poonch district today in which NC president, Dr Farooq Abdullah and party candidate for Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, Mian Altaf Ahmad were also present. A fight took place between two groups on the sidelines of the rally in which three youths sustained knife injuries,” said officials.

“The injured youths were shifted to a government medical college hospital in Rajouri town for specialised treatment. Doctors have described the condition of one of the injured identified as Suhail Ahmad of Mendhar as serious. The other two injured youths admitted to the hospital have been identified as Yasir Ahmad and Imran Ahmad,” the officials further said.

These two injured youths — Yasir Ahmad and Imran Ahmad — fled from the hospital. The officials said, “They fled the hospitals for unknown reasons.”

A case has been registered in this incident and police have started an investigation.

“No arrests have been made so far in this incident,” the officials said.

Meanwhile, people started protests against the incident in Mendhar Chowk and authorities were trying to pacify the protesters.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)