Mehbooba Mufti lauds wife of navy officer killed in Pahalgam for communal harmony appeal, slams Farooq Abdullah

Mentioning Himanshi Narwal's 'don't want people going after Muslims and Kashmiris' comment, Mehbooba sought to corner National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah for his remarks to a section of media that attacks like the one in Pahalgam on April 22 cannot happen without support.

Srinagar: Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday lauded Himanshi Narwal, the widow of Navy officer Lt Vinay Narwal, for her powerful appeal for communal harmony in the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, even as she lashed out at National Conference (NC) patron Farooq Abdullah for insinuating local involvement in the incident.

In an interview with the media, Abdullah had said, “I do not think these things can happen unless someone helped them. They came from there. How did they come?”—remarks that have drawn criticism from multiple quarters for allegedly casting suspicion on Kashmiris.

Mufti called the statement “misleading” and “fatal,” especially at a time when Kashmiris, including students and traders outside the Valley, face growing hostility and attacks following the deadly strike in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives.

“Farooq sahab’s statement implicating Kashmiris in the Pahalgam terror attack is deeply disturbing and regrettable. As a senior leader, that too as a Kashmiri, his statement risks fuelling divisive narratives, providing ammunition to certain media channels to further stereotype and stigmatise Kashmiris and Muslims,” the PDP chief posted on X (formerly Twitter).

Instead of fueling suspicion, Mufti said, political leaders should take a cue from Himanshi Narwal’s grace and humanity in the face of profound grief. Married just a week before losing her husband, Himanshi had appealed to the public not to blame Muslims or Kashmiris for the attack.

"We don't want people going after Muslims and Kashmiris. We want peace and justice. People who have done wrong with him should be punished,” Himanshi said.

The PDP chief invoked the example of Himanshi and said, “We should draw inspiration from Himanshi Narwal, who, despite the martyrdom of her husband, urged Indians not to blame and target Kashmiris or Muslims.”

Lt Vinay Narwal was killed in the terror ambush in Pahalgam just 10 days ago. He would have turned 27 on Saturday. A haunting photo from the attack, showing his lifeless body lying on the lush Baisaran meadows and his devastated bride slumped beside him, has come to symbolize the horror and heartbreak of the assault.