Kashmir Impulse Desk

Srinagar, July 4

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday defended calls for renewed dialogue between India and Pakistan, saying engagement between the two neighbours should not become a subject of political controversy, while also urging authorities to allow Amarnath pilgrims greater freedom to visit tourist destinations and support Kashmir’s local economy.

Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Abdullah also welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal asking Amarnath pilgrims to spend part of their travel budget on locally made products, saying such spending would directly benefit residents and businesses in the Union Territory.

His remarks came after his father, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah, was among more than 100 Indian and Pakistani signatories to a joint appeal advocating dialogue and lasting peace between the two countries following recent tensions.

Responding to questions about the peace initiative, Omar Abdullah said similar calls for engagement had previously been made by leaders from across the political spectrum and should not be viewed differently because they came from the National Conference leadership.

“Why is there so much attention whenever Farooq Abdullah signs such a letter or I speak about dialogue?” Abdullah said. “When leaders associated with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) express similar views, it does not attract the same level of debate.”

The chief minister reiterated that improving relations between India and Pakistan remained desirable despite longstanding differences, invoking former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s approach to regional diplomacy.

“This is the path shown by Atal Bihari Vajpayee—that friends may change, but neighbours cannot,” Abdullah said. “If not today, then tomorrow, we have to find ways to improve relations with our neighbours.”

India and Pakistan have had strained diplomatic relations for decades, with dialogue repeatedly interrupted by militant attacks, military confrontations and political disputes over Kashmir. Formal bilateral engagement has remained limited in recent years despite periodic calls from political leaders and civil society groups for renewed talks.

Turning to the ongoing annual Amarnath Yatra, Abdullah welcomed Modi’s appeal urging pilgrims to spend at least 10% of their travel budget on local products and services, saying such spending would provide a timely boost to Kashmir’s tourism-dependent economy.

“It is a very good appeal,” he said. “If pilgrims spend more on local products, it will benefit our people.”

However, the chief minister said the economic benefits would remain limited unless pilgrims were permitted to travel beyond the designated pilgrimage route.

He said stringent security arrangements currently restricted many devotees to tightly controlled convoys, leaving little opportunity to visit markets, tourist attractions or local businesses.

“They should be allowed to get out of their vehicles and move around,” Abdullah said. “If they remain confined throughout the journey, how will they spend on local products? Giving them some opportunity to explore Kashmir will benefit both the pilgrims and the local economy.”

The annual Amarnath Yatra, one of Hinduism’s most significant pilgrimages, attracts hundreds of thousands of devotees each year to the cave shrine in the Himalayas of south Kashmir. Security for the pilgrimage has been substantially strengthened in recent years because of militant threats, with multiple agencies deployed along the route.

Abdullah said his government’s role was to facilitate the smooth conduct of the pilgrimage, while security and law-and-order arrangements were primarily being handled by the security establishment and the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.

“We have made all the arrangements that the elected government was expected to make,” he said. “The remaining arrangements relating to security, law and order and the Shrine Board are being managed by the concerned authorities.”

He expressed hope that this year’s pilgrimage would conclude peacefully and appealed to devotees to pray for communal harmony and lasting peace in Jammu and Kashmir.

“We hope pilgrims come in large numbers, perform the yatra safely and return home safely,” Abdullah said. “When they offer prayers, they should also pray for peace, brotherhood and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir.”

The chief minister also welcomed the Punjab government’s decision to withdraw a levy imposed on Kashmiri mutton traders, saying the issue had been raised repeatedly by his government with the authorities in Punjab.

“The levy was unfair to our traders,” Abdullah said. “We had been in continuous touch with the Punjab government on the matter, and it is a positive development that the issue has now been resolved.”

His remarks came amid efforts by the National Conference government to address trade and tourism concerns while projecting economic recovery and normalcy during the peak summer season, when both tourist arrivals and the annual Amarnath pilgrimage contribute significantly to the region’s economy.