J&K CM Omar Abdullah reiterates need for better relations with neighbours

STC NEWS DESK
SRINAGAR, JULY 04 (STC): Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday reiterated the need for better relations between India and Pakistan. He said the idea of maintaining better ties with neighbouring countries was in line with former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s approach.
“Neighbours cannot be changed, only friends can. Better relations should be maintained with neighbours,” he said.
On the annual Amarnath Yatra, the chief minister said all arrangements under the elected government had been put in place and expressed hope that pilgrims would undertake the pilgrimage smoothly and return safely.
He said security and law and order arrangements were being handled by the concerned authorities and appealed to pilgrims to pray for peace and communal harmony in Jammu and Kashmir.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s suggestion that pilgrims spend a part of their travel budget locally, Abdullah said it would benefit the region’s economy but added that visitors should be allowed greater freedom of movement.
“If they remain confined to their vehicles and are not allowed to move around, how will they spend here? They should be allowed to visit places and interact with people so that local businesses also benefit,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister
welcomed the resolution of the mandi tax issue affecting mutton traders.
“There was injustice with the mutton traders. The livestock was neither coming from Punjab nor being sold there. It was being brought from Rajasthan through the highway, and imposing mandi tax on it was unfair to our people. If the issue has now been resolved, it is a good thing,” he said, adding that the government had been in continuous touch with the Punjab government on the matter.
The Chief Minister also welcomed the decision to defer the proposed two-day closure of Srinagar International Airport, saying the move had provided relief to the tourism sector.

(Straight Talk Communications)