Srinagar- Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday said his first year in office has been “a difficult one” owing to major terror attacks, while sharply questioning the Union Territory governance framework for sidelining the elected government in security matters.

Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi, Omar said those claiming terrorism had ended in the region were ignoring ground realities. He insisted there was no “return” of militancy because it had never fully vanished.

“Why do you use the word return? When did it ever go away? It was there,” he said. “The changes made to the constitutional relationship between Jammu and Kashmir and the rest of India are not going to miraculously result in an end to terror.”

The chief minister referred to the April 22 attack in Baisaran, Pahalgam and the November 10 blast in Delhi, saying those who believed everything was normal after 2019 were taken by surprise.

Omar warned that the recent terror incidents have pushed the country to a point where any future strike “will be considered an act of war”, making preventive action even more critical.

He criticised the existing governance model under Union Territory status, saying elected representatives are excluded from key security discussions. “You cannot operate governments in silos. Elected representatives play no part whatsoever in decisions affecting security,” he said.

Omar drew a contrast with his earlier tenure as chief minister, when he received immediate updates from senior police and security officials. “I read about the Delhi blast in a newspaper. I did not know who carried out the attack or how the investigation was proceeding,” he remarked. “The Union Territory model does not work.”

He also cautioned against policies outside J&K that demand Kashmiri Muslims register with police alongside foreign nationals, saying such measures fuel mistrust and prevent youth from feeling secure in other parts of India.

Omar emphasised that the overwhelming majority of Kashmiris oppose violence. “A minuscule minority supports terror. The majority are the ones you saw on the streets after the Baisaran attack, the ones studying and working honestly across the country,” he said.

The chief minister urged the need for trust-based engagement, arguing that alienating an entire community would only harm national cohesion and long-term security interests.