Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, June 22

National Conference (NC) President and three-time chief minister Farooq Abdullah on Monday expressed hope that displaced Kashmiri Pandits would eventually return to the Valley, saying people in Kashmir wanted the community to live alongside them once again.

Abdullah visited the Kheer Bhawani temple in Tulmulla, where thousands of devotees gathered for the annual festival.

“We want our Kashmiri Pandit brothers and sisters to return and live with us,” Abdullah told reporters.

He described the festival as a reflection of Kashmir’s tradition of communal harmony and said growing interaction between communities was encouraging.

Abdullah said both governments and society had a role to play in facilitating the return of displaced families.

The former chief minister said the festival demonstrated that bonds between communities remained strong despite decades of separation.

Many devotees attending the event echoed hopes for peace and reconciliation in the region.