Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Saturday questioned whether Pakistan would volunteer to be added to any "neutral and transparent" investigation of the Pahalgam terrorist attack, killing 26 people on April 22.
Speaking of the tragedy, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had earlier said, "The recent tragedy in Pahalgam is yet another example of this never-ending blame game, which has to be ended. Remaining in its role as a responsible nation, Pakistan is ready to be part of any impartial, transparent and credible investigation."
Irritably reacting, Abdullah stated, "First they did not believe that anything happened in Pahalgam. Then they even claimed it was done by India. They filed the first complaint against us, so it is hard to speak about them," to journalists.
Pressed to react immediately to what Sharif had stated, Abdullah replied, "I don't want to comment too much on what their (Pakistani leaders) words were. I regret the incident, which shouldn't have happened."
On India's suspension of the question of the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan in 1960 — that was done on the basis of cross-LoC linkage to Pahalgam attack — and building of dams on the Chenab River, Abdullah ruled out any connection. "Why are you connecting the two? What is the water treaty doing with all these things? Whether Indus Water Treaty is suspended or not, what is it doing with all these projects?" he said.
The chief minister had gone to Ramban to see for himself the steps taken towards restoration of normal services after flash floods and landslides struck the region. During his visit, he walked around Dharam Kund village, which was one of the worst-hit places due to April 20 flash floods that killed three people and caused huge damage to houses.
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