National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah visited the Dargah Hazratbal in Srinagar and participated in the ‘Alvida Jumma’ (last Friday of Ramadan month) prayers.
This comes after an accused, identified as Kamal Singh, was apprehended after allegedly attempting to shoot Farooq Abdullah with a loaded pistol at a wedding ceremony held at Royal Park in the Greater Kailash area.
The accused was remanded to police custody for five days on Thursday, and the court also directed that a medical examination of the individual be carried out within the next 24 hours.
Speaking to reporters on the occassion, Abdullah addressed the West Asia conflict issue, asserting that “no greater power than Allah”.
“All I would like to say is that we should remember Allah. There is no greater power than Allah. Wahi tha aur wahi rahega. The crisis (energy) is because a war is being fought. May the war end. May Allah end the forces that want to end Islam,” Farooq Abdullah said.
The current round of conflict in West Asia, which started on February 28, has witnessed fighting between Israel and the United States on one side and Iran on the other.
The conflict escalated following the killing of 86-year-old Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in joint military strikes by the US and Israel, after which Iran, in its retaliation, targeted Israeli and US assets in several Gulf countries and Israel, causing disruption in the waterway and affecting international energy markets and global economic stability.
Earlier in the day, Iran’s Military Headquarters, Khatam al-Anbiya, warned of dire consequences if Iran’s energy infrastructure is targeted by the US and Israel.
“The slightest attack on #Iran’s energy infrastructure and ports will result in our crushing and devastating response. In the event of such an attack, all the oil and gas infrastructure in the region, in which the United States and its Western allies have interests, will be set on fire and destroyed,” he said.
Iran’s new Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has indicated that the closure of the Strait would remain a pressure tactic, according to remarks broadcast on Iranian state television.
“Dear fighter brothers! The desire of the masses of the people is the continuation of effective and regret-inducing defence. Furthermore, the leverage of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must certainly continue to be used,” he said.
Strait of Hormuz links the oil-rich Persian Gulf with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and over 20 per cent of global oil and liquefied natural gas exports pass through the strait.
In view of supply disruptions due to the West Asia conflict, India now imports crude from around 40 countries. As a result of this diversification, about 70 per cent of crude imports are coming from routes outside the Strait of Hormuz compared with about 55 per cent earlier. India is the third largest importer, fourth largest refiner, and fifth largest exporter of petroleum products globally. (ANI)
