Srinagar, Jun 21: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday expressed hope that Israel and Iran would stop attacking each other soon and resolve their issues through dialogue.
“We can only hope and pray that the war stops. The situation is bad. This should not have happened,” Abdullah told reporters in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal, his assembly constituency.
The chief minister said he did not understand on what basis Israel attacked Iran.
“A few days ago, the US intelligence in-charge said before the Senate and Congress that Iran is not closer to getting a nuclear weapon. So, if America felt that a few days ago, then why did Israel attack Iran?
“It is obvious that there is some politics behind it but we hope that this cycle stops sooner and the issues are resolved through dialogue,” he added.
Abdullah visited many areas in his assembly constituency and said it was his duty as the local MLA.
“The people of Ganderbal have sent me to represent them and serve them and I will try my best to meet their expectations. So, since I became the MLA, we have hastened the development progress here.
“Today, I inaugurated one project, a marriage hall and laid the foundation stone of a bridge, which was an old demand,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has informed that it was fully prepared to help students returning from Iran reach their homes with a fleet of deluxe buses pressed into service to pick them up from their arrival points, an official said on Friday.
The responsibility for organising and overseeing the transit has been entrusted to minister Satish Sharma, he said.
Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs and Transport Satish Sharma has been entrusted with the task of overseeing the entire transit operation, he said.
The J-K administration facilitated the travel of the first batch of students from Iran arriving in India in super deluxe buses, the spokesperson said.
The returnees were received at locations in Jammu and Srinagar by the government’s transport department, he said.
Super deluxe buses of Jammu and Kashmir Road Transport Corporation (JKRTC) have been stationed at the arrival points to receive them, he said.
Sharma said, “These students are our pride and future. It’s our moral duty to ensure they feel welcomed, cared for and supported. As per Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s directions, we are arranging adequate transport facilities for them.”
The minister added, “I have instructed the RTC to be on standby for any logistical support needed by our returning residents and students.”
The spokesperson said the government is coordinating with the Resident Commission Office in Delhi, airport authorities and the local administration to perform the transit.
