LG’s admission of intelligence failure in Pahalgam ‘Better late than never’: Omar Abdullah

Jammu and Kashmir: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s admission of intelligence failure behind Pahalgam attack was ‘better late than never’, Scroll reported.

The terror attack at Baisaran near Pahalgam town in Jammu and Kashmir left 26 persons dead and 16 injured on April 22, shocking the nation.

Eighty days after the attack that led to a war with Pakistan, Sinha in an interview acknowledged that it was ‘undoubtedly a security failure’ alongside taking ‘full responsibility’ for the Pahalgam attack.

Seizing the opportunity, Abdullah hit back saying ‘After 80 days, it is better late than never. We did not say it [earlier] even knowing that such a big attack could not have taken place without [intelligence] failure.’

The chief minister said someone should take responsibility for the intelligence failure that Sinha was perhaps pointing to, adding ‘It cannot happen that 26 people lose their lives and there is no progress’.

Imran Nabi Dar, a spokesperson of Jammu and Kashmir’s ruling National Conference, urged Sinha to step down from his post, and apologise to the people of Kashmir ‘whose lives, livelihood and dignity were put at stake due to his blunders’.

Congress leader Pawan Khera said Sinha’s ‘acceptance of responsibility’ is an insult to the tourists ‘who lost their lives’, and asked ‘Who is the LG protecting?’