Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said that students from the union territory who are currently in Iran are being moved to Armenia by land, from where they will be brought back home.
“I have been in regular contact with the Ministry of External Affairs and spoke to Foreign Minister S Jaishankar, who assured me that evacuation efforts are underway, prioritising students in high-risk areas like Tehran and Isfahan,” Abdullah said.
He added that the initial plan was to shift students to Qum, considered relatively safer. However, due to the closure of airports and seaports, they are now being transported by road to Armenia for safe return to India.
On the Amarnath Yatra, Abdullah expressed concern over the ban on helicopter services despite the route being declared a no-fly zone.
“It’s unusual that helicopters are not being allowed for pilgrims this time, and it sends an unfortunate message to the rest of the country,” he said. “I don’t have access to the intelligence that led to this decision, but this seems to be the first time in many years that helicopter services from Pahalgam and Baltal are not operational.”
He cautioned that such restrictions could create a negative perception of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.
When asked about the reopening of tourist parks closed after the April 22 Pahalgam attack, Abdullah welcomed the move.
“We have been pushing for this for some time as we are trying to revive tourism while keeping major destinations closed made little sense. The gradual reopening is a positive step, and we hope tourists will start returning,” he said.
