Omar Abdullah Urges Kashmiri Students In Iran To Return Amid MEA Advisory

Srinagar: With protests simmering in Iran and memorial rallies turning tense, Jammu and Kashmir’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has appealed to students studying there to heed the Union government’s advisory and return home while flights remain operational.

On Tuesday, Abdullah told reporters in Ganderbal that the Ministry of External Affairs had issued the advisory for good reason.

“I would tell them, please do not ignore this advisory from the government of India, because it otherwise becomes an issue for us,” he said.

The Embassy of India recently asked citizens to “leave Iran by available means of transport, including commercial flights,” following demonstrations last Saturday during 40-day memorials for those killed in January’s anti-government protests.

Abdullah said that while airports are open and travel is still possible, ignoring the advisory could complicate evacuation efforts if the situation deteriorates.

“Book your tickets and leave Iran,” he urged.

Switching focus to domestic concerns, Abdullah addressed reports of Kashmiri students facing harassment and eviction threats at CT University in Punjab. He assured that he would raise the matter with Punjab’s chief minister.

“It must be the University’s doing, because the government of Punjab has always supported Jammu and Kashmir. I can say with certainty that the Punjab government will not allow this,” he said, promising intervention if any student is facing difficulties.

Earlier in the day, Abdullah inaugurated and laid foundation stones for development projects worth Rs 84.41 crore in Ganderbal, his assembly constituency. These included Rs 7.70 crore for beautification and town development, Rs 7.50 crore for road widening, Rs 8.40 crore for installation of a CT scan machine at the District Hospital, along with several water supply schemes. The projects aim to strengthen healthcare, sanitation, roads, and urban infrastructure in central Kashmir.