Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, May 20: J&K BJP leader and party spokesperson Abhijeet Jasrotia today said the recent terror attack in Pahalgam was a deliberate attempt by Pakistan to destabilize Kashmir’s growing peace and prosperity.
He claimed the assault was aimed at damaging the region’s economy by targeting its booming tourism sector.
“After August 5, 2019, people began to see better days. Livelihoods improved. In the past five years, there has been peace and prosperity. But that troubled Pakistan – and so came the Pahalgam attack,” Jasrotia said during a press conference.
He said the motive behind the attack was clear: “to hit Kashmiris in the belly, to destroy their livelihoods.”
“People wait all year for tourists to arrive so they can meet their needs. This year, hopes were high for a booming tourist season. But Pakistan shattered those hopes,” he added.
He alleged that Pakistan has historically sought to disrupt Kashmir whenever the region moved toward stability.
“From the tribal invasion of 1947 to the Kargil conflict in 1999, and the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus in the late ’90s, Pakistan has repeatedly spilled the blood of Kashmiris to serve its political ends,” he said.
Referring to the swift response by security forces to the Pahalgam attack, Jasrotia said ‘Operation Sindoor’ sent a clear message to terror groups and their handlers.
“The forces proved their strength in 22 minutes. Terrorists should know they won’t be spared – they will be identified and eliminated wherever they hide. Operation Sindoor was just a trailer. The full picture is yet to come.”
He also paid tribute to Maqbool Sherwani, saying his sacrifice in 1947 secured Kashmir’s place in India. “Had it not been for Shaheed Maqbool Sherwani, Kashmir would have been like PoJK and Gilgit-Baltistan today.”
Condemning the recent LoC shelling that targeted a temple, a gurdwara, and a mosque, he said the attack showed no respect for religious sanctity.
“They do not differentiate – they attacked places of worship of all faiths. There is no democracy in Pakistan. If there were, Imran Khan would not be in prison today,” he said.
BJP contrasted the ideology of Kashmiris with what he called Pakistan’s violent agenda. “The people of Kashmir follow Sufi thought. They believe in unity and coexistence. But Pakistan only knows how to spill Kashmiri blood,” he said.
He added that the local response to the attack sent a powerful message.
“When people came out, they said the blood that was shed wasn’t that of tourists – it was our own,” he said. “Any attack on our livelihood will not be tolerated.”
Follow our WhatsApp channel
