“Have been trying hard to revive Tourism in Kashmir; working to bring all our students home safely from Iran”
Srinagar, June 17 (KNS): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said that this year’s restriction on helicopter service for Amarnath Yatra was unusual and could send a wrong message to the rest of the country.
“Amarnath Yatra is a good thing. We also want the Yatra to go well. The only strange thing is that this time the helicopter service is not being allowed,” Omar said while speaking to reporters outside Srinagar airport after receiving the first batch of Hajj pilgrims returning from Saudi Arabia.
He said this was the first time in many years that such a restriction had been imposed. “There is a wrong message about this going to the rest of the country. I do not have the intelligence inputs on which this decision was made, but this is the first time in so many years that the helicopter service is not being allowed,” he said.
The Chief Minister also expressed gratitude for the safe return of Hajj pilgrims. “I am thankful to Allah that the first group of pilgrims returned home safely. My companions and I had the opportunity to pay our respects to them on their return,” he said.
He thanked the pilgrims for their prayers. “I am thankful to all the pilgrims who prayed for Jammu and Kashmir, for this nation and for all of us.
May Allah accept their prayers,” he said.
Speaking about the situation of Indian students stranded in Iran, Omar said that they have been in contact with the Ministry of External Affairs. “I also spoke to the Foreign Minister, Jai Shankar. He assured me that our students will be taken out of the most dangerous areas, especially in Tehran and Isfahan,” he said.
He said the immediate priority was to move them to safer places. “Our first priority was to take them to safe areas. Now that all the airports and ports are closed, they are being taken to Armenia. We will bring them home safely from Armenia,” he said.
Talking about Kashmir tourism, Omar said that efforts were being made to revive the sector, but some decisions had a negative effect. “We have been trying for a long time to revive tourism in Kashmir. But we are closing half of Kashmir with our own hands,” he said.
He said it was good that closed destinations were slowly reopening. “It is a good thing that all these destinations are slowly opening up. We hope that the tourists will start coming back,” he added.(KNS)
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