Uri, May 14, 2025 – Chief Minister Omar Abdullah visited the shelling-affected areas of Uri, including Salamabad, Lagama, Bandi, and Gingal, to evaluate the impact of recent ceasefire violations along the Line of Control with Pakistan. Addressing the hardships faced by the region, Abdullah remarked, “This land has endured so much — from the impact of the 2005 earthquake to the pain of cross-border shelling. Yet, its people rise every time, with courage in their hearts and resilience in their spirit.”
The visit comes in response to unprovoked shelling by Pakistan in Uri, Baramulla, Tangdhar, Kupwara, Rajouri, and Poonch between April 27-29, 2025, which targeted civilian areas. These incidents follow the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, which killed 26 people and was linked to The Resistance Front , a terrorist group allegedly supported by the Pakistani Army. Abdullah emphasised a restrained approach, stating, “We did not start this war. Our innocent people were attacked in Pahalgam. If the guns are not fired from that side, our guns will also not fire.”
During his tour, Omar Abdullah inspected community bunkers, calling them “a lifeline during moments of crisis,” and responded to local demands for individual bunkers. “For several years, we were not in need of bunkers. Now, the people have demanded individual bunkers, not community ones. We will arrange bunkers for all the regions affected by the shelling,” he assured. The Jammu and Kashmir government is conducting damage assessments to provide relief and bolster infrastructure for border residents.
Omar Abdullah’s visit coincides with heightened security discussions in the region. On the same day, Lieutenant General Pratik Sharma, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command, briefed Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in Srinagar on the security situation. Accompanied by Lt Gen Prashant Srivastava, GoC 15 Corps, Sharma detailed counter-terrorism operations in Rajouri, Poonch, Doda, and Kishtwar, targeting Pakistani terrorists infiltrating Jammu’s forested areas. The Northern Command, based in Udhampur, oversees operations along the LoC and the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, covering Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Sharma, who assumed his role on May 1, 2025, succeeding Lt Gen M.V. Suchendra Kumar, leverages experience from operations like Pawan, Meghdoot, Rakshak, and Parakram. His prior roles as Director General of Military Operations and Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategy) inform his strategies against ongoing threats.
Sinha, in office since August 2020, stressed the importance of coordinated efforts to maintain peace and development. He has condemned Pakistan’s role in recent attacks and supported Jammu and Kashmir’s integration with India following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The restoration of statehood, a key focus of a recent cabinet resolution by Abdullah’s government, was also discussed, with Sinha endorsing it as a democratic aspiration.
The combined civilian and military response underscores a commitment to stabilizing Jammu and Kashmir amid complex geopolitical challenges.