Govt hasn’t been able to change negative travel advisories: Omar

Srinagar, July 25

Former Chief Minister and J-K National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the Modi government has not been able to change anything regarding negative travel advisories against Jammu and Kashmir.

Abdullah was reacting to an updated travel advisory, by the Department of State of the US Government, which urged American citizens “not to travel to the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir…except the eastern Ladakh region and its capital, Leh due to terrorism and civil unrest.”

“So much for naya (new) J&K. For all the talk of normalcy, peace, tourism and the G-20 ‘tamasha’ in Srinagar, J&K continues to be the target of US state department travel advisories. The Modi government has been able to change nothing,” Abdullah wrote on X.

The advisory issued by US has kept threat about Jammu and Kashmir at level 4.

“Terrorist attacks and violent civil unrest are possible in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. Do not travel to this state (with the exception of visits to the eastern Ladakh region and its capital, Leh). Violence happens sporadically in this area and is common along the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan. It also occurs in tourist spots in the Kashmir Valley: Srinagar, Gulmarg and Pahalgam. The Indian Government does not allow foreign tourists to visit certain areas along the LoC,” the advisory reads.

Naya J&K?

So much for naya J&K. For all the talk of normalcy, peace, tourism and the G-20 tamasha in Srinagar, J&K continues to be the target of US state department travel advisories. The Modi government has been able to change nothing. — Omar Abdullah, former CM