Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, May 23: Former Chief Minister and working president of J&K National Conference Dr Farooq Abdullah today demanded that the Central Government and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs should actively strive to ensure that all adverse travel advisories against Kashmir are withdrawn at an earliest possible instance.
In a meeting with the British Deputy High Commissioner Dr Alexander Evans, who called on the NC president at his residence in Srinagar, Dr Abdullah said the situation in Jammu and Kashmir has significantly improved over the years and time had come for change in the mindset of nature lovers the world over so that the State blooms again with tourism related activities.
Dr Abdullah said lifting of adverse travel advisories would facilitate a growth in tourism and also consequently create new jobs in the State. “There is a crucial need to dismantle the myth of perpetual hostility and instability in Kashmir and encourage foreign tourists to visit the State. There has been a gradual increase in the number of foreign tourists visiting the State in the recent years but a lot more needs to be done and for this the Central Government as well as the State Government should approach diplomatic missions and embassies to evolve a consensus”, Dr Farooq said.
The NC president discussed various social, political and economic interests with the visiting Deputy High Commissioner and highlighted the mutual benefits of better Indo-UK bilateral and trade relations in the recent times. Dr Abdullah also stressed on the need for an increased focus on educational exchanges and fairs that could help in bringing the youth of the two countries closer to a mutual understanding of our culture and history.
The British envoy, who is well versed with dynamics of J&K politics, having remained a research scholar in Kashmir and Jammu in early nineties, elaborately discussed political evolution of the state, especially after the advent of Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah at the center-stage.
Senior National Conference leaders including NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar, NC provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani and senior leader Akbar Lone were also present on the occasion.
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