Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Tuesday that the development seen in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is primarily driven by China, with Pakistan playing little to no role in its progress.

His statement came after heated exchanges between National Conference (NC) and BJP MLAs in the J&K Assembly over the state of border areas.

“We have to acknowledge that while our frontier areas have limited development, across the border, there have been deliberate attempts to showcase progress. However, this so-called development was facilitated by China, not Pakistan,” Omar Abdullah said.

He criticized the portrayal of growth in PoK, stating, “The PoK government made people wear coats to create a facade of development, but in reality, their pockets are empty.”

Allegations of malpractice in National Saffron Mission

The Assembly session also saw demands for a probe into alleged irregularities in the ₹401 crore National Saffron Mission (NSM). NC MLA Hasnain Masoodi and CPI(M) MLA Muhammad Yousuf Tarigami raised concerns about fund mismanagement and project failures, calling for an investigation.

Agriculture Minister Javed Dar acknowledged the concerns and assured that the matter was under review, with a departmental inquiry possible if necessary.

The NSM, launched in 2010 under the UPA government, aimed to modernize saffron farming in Kashmir. However, allegations of mismanagement and failure to achieve expected results have raised doubts over its execution.

Sajad Lone protests over Article 370 motion

In another development, Handwara MLA Sajad Gani Lone staged a walkout after the Speaker disallowed his motion regarding Article 370, the Public Safety Act (PSA), and police verification procedures.