Srinagar, May 13: National Conference President and Member of the Parliament from Srinagar Dr Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah have strongly condemned the killing of Constable Reyaz Ahmad Thokar, who was shot at in Gudoora of Pulwama district Friday morning.
In his words of condemnation, Dr Farooq said, "I unequivocally condemn the dastardly killing. Yet another family will have to live with lifelong pain and agony. I condemn the killing in the strongest possible terms. My heartfelt condolences to Reyaz's family.”
In his condemnation message, Omar said, “I condemn another targeted killing in Pulwama. This time it was a police constable who was shot dead near his house. Such dastardly acts only leave a trail of suffering and pain behind. The spur in the killings deflates the normalcy claims of the government.”
Meanwhile, Omar Abdullah on Friday said the unabated targeted killings doesnot attest to the normalcy claims of the government, saying Kashmir is far from normal.
Taking strong exception to the high handedness of police forces on the protesting Kashmiri Pandits, Omar said that there was no visage of normalcy in Kashmir and that the real normalcy is betokened by absence of fear, and absence of terror.
“Tourism is not normalcy, it is a barometer of economic activity. Normalcy is the inability of militants to strike at will, the presence of democratic rule and by any yardstick you choose to use, Kashmir is far from normal today," he said.
Condemning the use of l force against protesting KPs, he said, “It is shameful that legitimate & justified protests are met with a heavy-handed response. This is not new for the people of Kashmir because when all the administration has is a hammer every problem resembles a nail. If the LG’s Govt can’t protect KPs they have a right to protest."
