Srinagar, June 17 (UNI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday expressed concern over the suspension of helicopter services to the Amarnath cave shrine this year, calling the move "strange" and warning that it sends a "wrong message" to the rest of the country.
“We also want the yatra to go well,” Omar said while speaking to reporters in Srinagar.
“But it is strange that the helicopter service is not being allowed this time. This has never happened before.”
Highlighting the unusual nature of the decision, the Chief Minister said, “It is the first time in all these years that helicopter service is not being permitted. I do not have the intelligence inputs on which this decision was made, but it should not send a wrong message to the people in the country about the situation here.”
The Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday declared all routes of the Amarnath Yatra as ‘No Flying Zones’ for security reasons.
The Amarnathji Yatra is set to commence on July three amid heightened security arrangements this year.
On the safety of Kashmiri students in Iran, Omar said that efforts are underway to ensure the safe evacuation stranded in conflict-affected Iran.
“This has been our effort for the past few days,” Omar said “I have been in constant contact with the Minister of External Affairs and have personally spoken to Foreign Minister S Jaishankar.”
He said the External Affairs Minister assured him that students in the most dangerous areas would be evacuated on priority.
“Our first priority was to move them to safer zones,” he said. “We will take them to areas where there is less danger.”
With airports and ports in Iran currently closed due to the ongoing crisis, the Chief Minister said an alternative overland evacuation plan is being implemented.
“They will be taken to Armenia by road, and from there, we will bring them home safely,” he assured.
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