New Delhi, Dec 06: Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said the terror attacks in Pahalgam and Delhi show that “home-grown terrorism never disappeared”. He argued that the Union Territory governance model has failed to ensure coordination between civilian authorities and security agencies.
Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit 2025 in New Delhi, Abdullah, as per the news agency, said the past year had been “difficult from a security perspective”, beginning with the Baisaran attack and ending with the blast in Delhi.
“By any yardstick, it’s been a difficult year. You had the attack in Baisaran earlier, and you ended the year with the blast in Delhi, which emanated from a conspiracy hatched in Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
The CM said the violence has affected the region’s economic outlook. “The immediate change after Baisaran has reoriented our economy completely. We were never a strong economy, and such circumstances make things even more difficult,” he added.
Omar argued that the UT model prevents timely information flow to elected representatives. He called for the restoration of statehood, saying the elected governments must play a role in security decision-making. “Statehood is essential. You cannot keep security and governance separate,” he said.
The Delhi blast, he said, exposed flaws in the current security framework of Jammu and Kashmir and claimed that the Union Territory model has left the elected government without access to crucial intelligence inputs.
“At present, I learn about blasts from the news just like everyone else. In my first term, the DGP and the CID chief would keep me informed. Today, the elected Chief Minister has no role in security-related decisions. You can’t operate governments in silos,” he said.
The Chief Minister linked the Baisaran and Delhi attacks to what he termed “policy gaps”. He warned that recent administrative decisions in some states have created fear among youth pursuing education and employment.
