Srinagar, Jun 17 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said students from the union territory studying in Iran are being taken to Armenia from where they would be brought home.
“I have been in regular touch with Ministry of External Affairs, I spoke to Foreign Minister S Jaishankar and he assured me that first the students will be evacuated, under a plan, from those areas where there is more danger, especially from Tehran and Isfahan,” Abdullah said here.
He said the plan first was to evacuate the students to Qum where there was less danger, but because the airports and ports are closed, “so they are being taken over land to Armenia from where they will be brought home safely”.
The chief minister while referring to the Amarnath Yatra route being declared as no flying zones, said it was strange that helicopter services were not being allowed for the pilgrims.
“We also want the yatra to conclude peacefully and well. One thing is strange that this time helicopter services are not being allowed which is sending a wrong message across the country,” he said.
“I don’t have intelligence inputs on the basis of which such a decision was taken, but I think this is for the first time in so many years that helicopter services are not being allowed from Pahalgam and Baltal,” he added.
The chief minister said such a decision could send a wrong message in the county regarding the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
Replying to a question about the reopening of parks at tourist destinations which were closed after April 22 Pahalgam attack, Abdullah said it was a good move.
“We were trying this for so many days now because it was strange that while trying to revive tourism here, we were keeping half of Kashmir closed. This is a good thing that the destinations are reopening gradually and we hope the tourists will start returning,” he added. PTI SSB OZ OZ
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