Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], May 7 (ANI): Echoing his support to India's Operation Sindoor against Pakistan, Jammu and Kashmir chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday asserted that India had to respond to what happened in Pahalgam, adding that it is now upto the neighbouring country to how much they want to escalate this.

Speaking to ANI, CM Abdullah emphasised that he has not forgotten the Pahalgam attack on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 people.

'At that time, the Central government had said they would respond in their own way. The way India chose to respond was by targeting not just any civilian or military area in Pakistan, but the areas where people had been living for the last 30-35 years, spreading destruction and chaos in Jammu and Kashmir. They became the target,' he said.

The J-K CM pointed out that if people had not been killed in Pahalgam, this day would not have come.

'We would have been living peacefully. The situation inside Jammu and Kashmir was stable, and tourism was increasing. There was a ceasefire at the Line of Control (LoC). These were not conditions we had created. We had to respond to what happened in Pahalgam. But now it is up to Pakistan how much they want to escalate this. Any war has an impact on Jammu and Kashmir. We hope that the situation normalises, but for that, our neighbouring country will have to silence their guns,' Omar Abdullah said.

Abdullah also mentioned that he held a video conference with district collectors of places near the border and the LoC.

'I have taken stock of the situation. I have received news of some losses from some places, but we are currently collecting the reports... I have released funds to district collectors to deal with any kind of contingency... If we have to evacuate civilians, vehicles and ambulances have been arranged for it,' he said.

'We can only hope that all of this ends soon. If the guns from the other side stop, the guns here will also stop. Currently, our civilian areas are their primary targets,' the J-K CM said.

Omar Abdullah further urged the people not to panic and run away from the valley.

'Right now, there is no need to panic. There is no shortage of essential commodities, no shortage of supplies in the blood banks of hospitals. The highway is open for traffic. There is no need for people to fear. They don't have to run away from here. Schools in Jammu and Srinagar are open, though the airport in Srinagar is shut,' he said.

In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, the Indian Armed Forces launched a strike at the terror hideouts deep inside Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir under 'Operation Sindoor' on Wednesday morning. Nine terror targets were chosen and all nine strikes were successful. (ANI)