CM reminds Pak of Op Sindoor saying they could barely reach Jammu
*Module busting good but where did they come from?
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Apr 7: Reminding Pakistan of Operation Sindoor, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that it would be in its own interest to focus on improving relations with India rather than escalating tensions even as he welcomed the busting of a Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) terror module by Srinagar Police, but stressed the need to strengthen surveillance and plug any remaining loopholes in the security framework.
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Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, Omar cautioned against provocative rhetoric from across the border saying it has not even been a full year post Operation Sindoor, yet they (Pakistan) are unnecessarily forcing us to remind them of the kind of situation that had developed earlier.
“Such statements ignore ground realities and serve no constructive purpose. Forget Kolkata — they could barely reach Jammu, and even in Jammu they did not cause any significant damage. They could not even reach the country’s capital. I think they should forget about their dream of reaching Kolkata; it would be better for them,” the Chief Minister said.
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif recently warned that his country would respond with a strike on Kolkata to any “future misadventures” by India.
Indian Armed Forces conducted Operation Sindoor from May 7-10, 2025 carrying out strikes deep inside Pakistan and PoJK destroying terror infrastructure and killing top terrorists and their commanders. Pakistan military also suffered huge damage. The Operation Sindoor was carried out in response to Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025 in which 26 civilians including 25 tourists and a local guide were killed.
Omar said it would be in best interest of Pakistan to try to improve relations with India rather than worsen them, because strained relations harm them more than India.
Asserting that our planes are still flying, and we have not told any international airline that we do not have fuel, the Chief Minister said: “Look at the situation in Pakistan — they are telling airlines that they are welcome to come, but must arrive with enough fuel, as they cannot provide it locally. That is their condition’’.
In reply to a question on busting of LeT network with the arrest of five terrorists including two Pakistani nationals, Omar said “it is good that the module was busted, but at the same time, it raises an important question — where did they come from and why did they come?
“We are repeatedly told that terrorism has ended and that it no longer exists. However, such modules continue to be busted, and foreign terrorists are still being found. Therefore, somewhere we need to further strengthen our surveillance and make efforts to identify and fill any loopholes or gaps that remain,” he said.
At the same time, he said, drug smuggling from across the border remains a major challenge, not limited to Jammu and Kashmir but faced by all border States across the country.
“Our Government is working to engage youth by promoting a strong sports culture in the Union Territory and steering them away from the menace of drugs. The drug smuggling from across the border is a challenge, and it is not ours alone. All States located near the border face similar concerns. You will hear this complaint from many of them, especially from Punjab,” Omar said.
He said Chief Minister of Punjab Bhagwant Mann has repeatedly pointed out that drug trafficking from across the border has affected a large number of people in the State. Similar concerns are also heard from time to time in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
“On our part, we are doing whatever exercises and efforts we can, particularly in drug rehabilitation, to make the vision of a drug-free India a reality. In line with this, the youth wing of the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference has organized the second edition of this cricket tournament. Our aim is to engage young people in constructive activities and keep them away from drugs,” the Chief Minister said.
He said the first Jammu half marathon on March 29, along with the 10 km and 5 km races, saw enthusiastic participation despite the weather not being very favorable.
“In fact, I noticed many runners who had not even registered, joined in purely out of passion for running. This reflects a larger trend across every corner of Jammu and Kashmir — our youth, our sons and daughters, are eager for opportunities in sports. They want proper infrastructure and support, and we are trying to focus on that,” Omar said.
He said it is neither possible nor necessary that only cricket grounds be built everywhere. Along with cricket, there are many other sports like football, hockey, badminton, volleyball, kho-kho, kabaddi, and wrestling, in which the local boys and girls are delivering impressive performances.
“We are making efforts to promote sports across Jammu and Kashmir,” he added.
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