Kashmir: Omar Abdullah govt to convene special cabinet meeting in Pahalgam, over a month after terror attack
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah-led Jammu and Kashmir government will hold a special cabinet meeting in Pahalgam today, over a month after a terror attack in the hill station killed 26 people, mostly tourists. The move is intended to send a powerful message against terrorism and violence in the Union territory.
This will the the first time the cabinet meeting will be held outside the usual summer capital, Srinagar, or winter capital, Jammu, during the present Omar Abdullah-led National Conference (NC) government's tenure.
The aim is also to to show solidarity with the residents of the tourist town, which has experienced a sharp decline in tourist footfall since the deadly April 22 terror attack in the fabled Baisaran Valley of the hill station, 90 kms south of Srinagar.
Two weeks after the Pahalgam terror attack, India on 7 May conducted precision strikes on at least nine terror camps in Pakistan in what is now known as 'Operation Sindoor.' India and Pakistan indulged in four days of military action post Operation Sindoor. The two nations agreed on an understanding to halt militarry action on 10 May.
The agenda of the meeting is not known and it seems its more symbolic in its message, news agency PTI said. OmarAbdullah, during his first stint as the chief minister Jammu and Kashmir from 2009-14, had held cabinet meetings in remote areas like Gurez and Tangdhar of Kashmir regon and Rajouri and Poonch areas of Jammu region.
The decision to hold a special cabinet meeting comes two days after Abdullah proposed a dual approach to resuscitate Jammu and Kashmir tourism sector, Abdullah urged the Centre to mandate PSUs to hold meetings in Kashmir and to convene parliamentary committee meetings there. The National Conference leader made this suggestion at the Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog held under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi last week.
This meeting symbolises our commitment to restoring peace and tourism in the region.
During a special day-long assembly session in Jammu on April 28, the Jammu and Kashmir government had unanimously passed a resolution against the Pahalgam attack and resolved to fight resolutely to defeat the nefarious designs to disturb communal harmony and hinder progress.
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