SRINAGAR, August 15, 2025 – Omar Abdullah, the first elected Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir in eight years, unfurled the national flag and presided over the main Independence Day function at Bakshi Stadium in Srinagar on Friday. The event marked a significant moment, as the last elected Chief Minister to lead the ceremony was Mehbooba Mufti in 2017, before the collapse of the PDP-BJP coalition in 2018 and the reorganization of J&K into two union territories in 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370.
Abdullah, who assumed office after assembly elections late last year, was accorded a guard of honour and inspected contingents from the Jammu and Kashmir Police, Central Armed Paramilitary Forces, and schoolchildren during the ceremonial parade. In a gesture of solidarity, he cancelled the cultural programme, a highlight of the Independence Day event, to honor those who lost their lives in the devastating Kishtwar flash floods on Thursday.
In his address, Abdullah made a strong case for restoring J&K’s statehood, criticizing the Supreme Court’s recent reference to the April 22, 2025, Pahalgam terror attack as a factor in delaying statehood discussions. He argued that the “killers of Pahalgam and their masters across the border” should not dictate J&K’s political future. Announcing a door-to-door signature campaign across J&K’s 90 assembly constituencies, he vowed to collect lakhs of signatures within the eight-week timeframe set by the Supreme Court for the Centre’s response to the statehood plea.
The Chief Minister also paid tribute at Balidan Stambh in Srinagar’s Pratap Park, honoring those who sacrificed their lives for the nation. He emphasized the need for coordination between the J&K government and the Centre, expressing disappointment at the lack of tangible progress toward statehood and the challenges of governing a union territory under a dual system.
The Kishtwar flash floods, which claimed several lives, cast a somber tone over the celebrations. Abdullah’s decision to cancel the cultural programme and a planned tea party reflected the administration’s sensitivity to the tragedy. Similar Independence Day functions were held peacefully across J&K, with Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary leading the event at MAM Stadium in Jammu.
