'Kashmiris have no intention of joining Pakistan': Farooq Abdullah slams Pakistan over two-nation theory
PTC Web Desk: Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Monday strongly reiterated that the people of Kashmir had rejected the two-nation theory way back in 1947 and continue to stand firmly by that decision today. Speaking after the tragic Pahalgam Terror Attack that claimed the lives of 26 persons, Abdullah sent out a clear message to Pakistan — "Kashmiris have no intention of joining Pakistan".
The National Conference leader emphasised that although he had earlier advocated for a dialogue with Pakistan, the recent spate of attacks had changed his stance. “I used to support talks with Pakistan every time such incidents happened,” Farooq Abdullah said, according to ANI. “But how will we justify it to those who have lost their loved ones? Are we doing justice to them? Not just Balakot-style responses — today the country demands that the government takes action so that such attacks are never repeated.”
Addressing the ideological underpinnings of the India-Pakistan conflict, Farooq Abdullah issued a firm rebuke to Islamabad’s repeated references to the two-nation theory. “Our neighbour has still not understood that they are committing crimes against humanity,” he said. “If they believe that such acts will compel us to side with them, they are mistaken. We did not go with them in 1947, so why would we now? We threw the two-nation theory into the water then, and we reject it even more firmly today. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians — we are all one. We will give them a strong and fitting reply.”
Pakistan army chief stokes two-nation debate
Farooq Abdullah’s statements come in response to recent remarks made by Pakistan army chief General Asim Munir. During an address to a gathering of Overseas Pakistanis in Islamabad on April 16, General Munir reignited the two-nation rhetoric, insisting that Pakistan would always stand with the Kashmiri people against what he described as “Indian occupation.”
Calling Kashmir Pakistan’s "jugular vein," General Munir said, “It was our jugular vein, it is our jugular vein, and we will not forget it.” He also urged Pakistani citizens to teach their children that they are inherently "different from Hindus in every aspect of life," invoking the two-nation theory originally propagated by Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
Munir’s comments have drawn sharp criticism across India, with many leaders, including Abdullah, highlighting that such narratives only serve to deepen divisions rather than resolve long-standing issues.
- With inputs from agencies
