After Terror Attacks, Farooq Abdullah Seeks J&K Statehood. "Illogical Theory," Says PDP

National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Sunday alleged the scrapping of special status under Article 370 of the Constitution from Jammu and Kashmir has not ended terrorism in the Union Territory, and demanded the restoration of statehood. The comments come amid a massive crackdown and hundreds of detentions in the last 10 days following two terror attacks in south Kashmir.

"Tell us who these killers are? You have been saying that terrorism has ended. If it was so, then who are these killers?" Abdullah said.

The BJP and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) strongly criticised Abdullah for linking terror attacks with statehood restoration, and called the comments "illogical conspiracy theories". Iltija Mufti, the daughter of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, said National Conference leaders and ministers should not politicise terror attacks to push for their statehood demand.

"Statehood seems to be the end all and be all for the Jammu and Kashmir government. Unfortunate to see the ruling party's senior leaders and ministers create illogical conspiracy theories about GOI thwarting statehood by pointing fingers about the two innocent labourers gunned down in a shameful act of terror. A moment of grief shouldn't be politicised," Iltija Mufti said.

Statehood seems to be the end all & be all for the J&K government. Unfortunate to see the ruling party's senior leaders & Ministers create illogical conspiracy theories about GOI thwarting statehood by pointing fingers about the two innocent labourers gunned down in a shameful…

— Iltija Mufti (@IltijaMufti_) August 1, 2026

National Conference leaders have been demanding an investigation into the killings.

Abdullah has raised the issue of terror and statehood in the same sentence twice in the last two days, following the attacks on migrant workers. After the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 25 tourists and a local resident, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had said he would never use the tragedy as an opportunity to demand restoration of statehood.

The Pahalgam attack had triggered India's strong response in the form of Operation Sindoor, with Indian cruise missiles hitting terror and military infrastructure deep inside Pakistani territory.

In July, the Abdullahs held a protest in Delhi to demand statehood restoration after terror attacks were reported in the Union Territory, unlike their stand just after the Pahalgam terror attack when they did not seek statehood restoration.

They had not made the same demand after the Pahalgam attack.

"Where did these terrorists come from? Borders are completely under control. Now, you see how the situation has changed after 2019, did they finish terrorism?" Farooq Abdullah said.

He also expressed concerns over the human rights situation in Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK). "The people of PoK are our brothers who are living under the oppression of the Pakistani state," he said.

He said the world community and India have not raised their voice over the worsening situation in PoK, and demanded the United Nations to send its human rights mission to PoK.

"India says PoK is an integral part of the country but didn't raise its voice over atrocities committed on the people of PoK," the senior Abdullah alleged.