Farooq Abdullah Responds to Pakistan Comments on Article 370 Restoration

Farooq Abdullah, a leader from the National Conference, dismissed Pakistan's Defence Minister Khwaja Asif's statement on the alliance's stance on Article 370, emphasizing his Indian citizenship. Addressing Jammu Kashmir Assembly Polls, Abdullah hinted at significant announcements on October 8 and criticized the loss caused by scrapping the Darbar Move.

In response to remarks by Pakistan's Defence Minister Khwaja Asif regarding the alignment between Pakistan and the NC-Congress alliance on the restoration of Article 370, National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah unequivocally reaffirmed his allegiance to India. 'I don't know what Pakistan says. I am not a Pakistani; I am an Indian citizen,' Abdullah told ANI.

Discussing the upcoming Jammu Kashmir Assembly Polls, Abdullah mentioned that clarity would emerge on October 8. 'Wait till October 8; everything will be clear. One of my priorities will be to reinstate the Darbar Move,' he said, criticizing the decision to abolish it. According to Abdullah, the scrapping of the Darbar Move has led to significant losses, disrupting the seasonal administrative migration between Jammu and Kashmir.

The BJP has strongly criticized the Congress-National Conference alliance following Khwaja Asif's statements. BJP leader Amit Malviya accused the Congress and National Conference of aligning with anti-India interests. 'Pakistan, a terrorist state, endorses Congress and National Conference's position on Kashmir,' Malviya stated in a post on X. Echoing the sentiment, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala questioned the relationship between the Congress Party, NC, and Pakistan. Khwaja Asif's claim that Article 370 could be restored if the NC-Congress alliance comes to power has added fuel to the political controversy.

(With inputs from agencies.)