Jammu , April 27, 2026 : Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday strongly condemned the recent shooting incident in Washington, where US President Donald Trump was present, expressing relief that he remained unharmed.
Reacting to the incident, Abdullah said, āThank God he survived. I did not want anything to happen to him,ā while emphasizing that violence must never be a tool in political discourse.
The incident occurred during the annual White House Correspondentsā Association dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel, where a Š²Š¾Š¾ŃŃŠ¶ŃŠ½Š½ŃŠ¹ (armed) individual opened fire outside the ballroom. Trump, along with First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and other officials, was safely evacuated.
Calling politics āa very dirty thing,ā Abdullah stressed that disagreements should always be resolved through democratic and verbal means, not violence. He added that such life-threatening attacks are unacceptable under any circumstances.
Drawing from Jammu and Kashmirās own history, Abdullah highlighted the heavy toll of political violence in the region over the past three decades, where leaders and workers across party lines have fallen victim to terrorism.
On the international front, he also advocated strongly for lasting peace in West Asia, urging continued dialogueāeven through alternative channelsāamid rising tensions involving Iran. āPeace must prevail, and efforts should continue to restore stability in the region,ā he said.
Abdullah also noted the recent cancellation of US envoy-level talks in Pakistan concerning Iran, stressing that communication, even if indirect, remains essential to de-escalation.
