Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah visits Poonch, urges bunker construction

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday extended his support to residents affected by recent shelling from Pakistan in the Poonch district, emphasizing the urgent need for constructing bunkers to protect the local population.

The Poonch district witnessed the highest number of casualties, with 20 out of the total 27 fatalities occurring since Wednesday. Additionally, over 50 people have been injured following India's Operation Sindoor, which targeted nine terror infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in response to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that resulted in 26 casualties.

Accompanied by his advisor Nasir Aslam Wani and MLA Ajaz Jan, Abdullah visited Poonch to assess the regions most impacted by the shelling. He met with families who lost loved ones, including those of Amarjeet Singh and Amrik Singh, and expressed his condolences.

During his visit, locals briefed the Chief Minister about the challenging conditions they face. Abdullah's primary aim was to offer support and comfort to the grieving families, according to his team.

In the Surankote area, Abdullah interacted with residents relocated to safer places due to the shelling. He received updates from Minister Javed Rana on the administrative measures underway.

The Chief Minister highlighted the critical need for bunker construction to bolster the safety of border residents. He also plans to visit Rajouri to further assess the situation.

In a positive development, the night passed peacefully in Jammu and Kashmir, with no reports of cross-border firing—the first such occurrence in recent days. This calm follows an agreement between New Delhi and Islamabad on Saturday to immediately cease military actions, after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.