COVID-19 positive Farooq Abdullah getting better, says son Omar

The 85-year-old National Conference president and Srinagar MP had tested positive for COVID-19 on March 30.
Former Jammu and Kashmir CM Farooq Abdullah (Photo | EPS)
Former Jammu and Kashmir CM Farooq Abdullah (Photo | EPS)

SRINAGAR: National Conference (NC) president and Srinagar MP Farooq Abdullah, who is undergoing treatment for COVID-19 at SKIMS hospital here, is responding well to treatment and getting better, his son Omar Abdullah said on Tuesday.

The 85-year-old NC president had tested positive for COVID-19 on March 30.

After initially being in home isolation, he was shifted to the hospital on April 3 for better care.

"My father has asked me to convey his deep gratitude to all our colleagues for these prayers & all the messages he has been receiving. He is responding well to the treatment and is getting better," Omar Abdullah said on Twitter.

Several leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, wished Farooq Abdullah a speedy recovery after the news of his testing positive for the disease came to light.

Earlier, the NC held prayer meetings across Jammu and Kashmir for Farooq Abdullah's speedy recovery and well-being.

The prayer meeting was led by NC general secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar and a huge participation of party functionaries, delegates, workers from the parent body, youth, women's wing, legal and minority wings, a spokesperson said.

Religious scholars prayed for Abdullah's recuperation, recovery, longevity and well-being, a spokesperson said.

Addressing the functionaries, Sagar said the NC and the people of Jammu and Kashmir need Abdullah to guide them in the struggle for the restoration of their "abridged rights" by walking on the path of truth and non-violence.

"People want him back on his feet to struggle against attempts that are being made for creating an atmosphere of discrimination in society. We need him to champion the cause of the underprivileged and the deprived."

"We need him to provide foresight to the efforts of numerous party men and women to work for the restoration of democracy and protection of the secular and pluralistic visage of Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

Describing Abdullah as a "peacenik", Sagar said the NC president's calls for peace and harmony were never borne out of fear, but pragmatism -- "a trait rarely perceptible in the genetic makeup of most of the politicians in southeast Asia".

"I earnestly pray with all my humility to the Almighty to put our beloved leader on the path of recovery. God willing, he will bounce back and lead us in our struggle to bequeath future generations a peaceful, prosperous and stable future."

"May the Almighty accept our prayers and put our leader on the path of fast recovery," he said.

Similar prayer meetings were held at all district headquarters across Jammu and Kashmir, where party workers, constituency incharges, district presidents and other delegates prayed for the fast recovery of the Abdullah, the NC spokesperson said.

The 85-year-old NC president tested positive for COVID-19 last week.

He was kept in home-isolation initially, but doctors decided to shift him to a hospital on Saturday for better medical care.

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