J&K CM expresses grief over death of students

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti today expressed grief over the death of three students in acloudburst near Batote in Ramban district yesterday.
In her condolence message, the Chief Minister conveyed her heart-felt sympathies to the bereaved family members in their hour of griefand prayed for eternal peace to the departed souls.
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Targeting the former Omar Abdullah-led government and Manmohan Singh-led UPA dispensation, Mehbooba said it was unfortunate that no substantive measures were taken by the previous government in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the one at the Centre to expand the ambit and scope of the cross-LoC travel and trade and build on this major confidence building initiative.

"Ironically, not even the buses deployed in April 2005 for carrying cross-LoC passengers were changed by the previous regime. It is only after the present government assumed office, that new Volvo buses have been deployed on Srinagar-Salamabad and Chakan-da-Bagh sectors.
"Because we believe that when a passenger comes from there, he should feel that he has come to Jammu and Kashmir, into that nation which is very big in every respect and then his eyes will open," the J&K Chief Minister said.

Mehbooba said there are misconceptions among the people across the LoC and those needed to be cleared.
"I remember when the road opened for the first time and (former Chief Minister and her father Mufti Mohammad) Sayeed went there to receive them, some people asked him if they could offer Namaz (prayers). He told them what were they asking. There is a mosque in every town here and there is no restriction on the prayer and they could offer prayer wherever they want.

"So, I want to say that, there are some misconceptions and they can be cleared only when we will open the routes for all," she said.
Mehbooba said the government is also planning to promote border tourism activity in the state in a big way.
"Given the typical geographical advantage of the state, we have immense potential for developing and promoting border tourism activity to attract high-spending tourists for an enriching experience," she said.
She said measures have already been taken to build requisite infrastructure for border tourism at Suchetgarh, Chamlyal, Salamabad and Chakan-da-Bagh.
"We want to develop Suchetgarh as another Wagah and during my recent meeting with the Director General BSF, I flagged the issue of holding march past at the border point the way it is being done at Wagah in Punjab," she said.

The Chief Minister said the aim of the government is to encourage good things in both the countries.
"The opening of the border will encourage friendship and business and improve the overall situation in Jammu and Kashmir," she said.
Referring to a query by a member of the Legislative Council about getting doctors back from abroad, Mehbooba said, "They will come only when the situation is better here. They would think that even if they are paid less salary, their children should not come under stone-pelting when they leave in the morning. So, I feel the opening of these routes will have a good impact on the situation of J-K and so, we all will make efforts for it to open maximum routes.