SRINAGAR, Feb 24: National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday advised students from Jammu and Kashmir studying in Iran to leave the country immediately, citing the difficulty of evacuating them after the potential closure of airspace.
The advisory from the Indian Embassy urged citizens to “leave Iran by available means of transport, including commercial flights,” following protests in Iran after the 40-day memorials for victims of January’s anti-government rallies.
Abdullah emphasized urgency, stating, “I want to tell the students of Jammu and Kashmir to leave immediately. Otherwise, when the airspace is closed, their parents may panic. They should leave before it comes to that. Otherwise, there will be no one to evacuate them. When the advisory has been issued, they should pack their bags and return home.”
Speaking to reporters after paying tributes to the late NC general secretary Sheikh Nazir Ahmad on his eleventh death anniversary in Soura, Abdullah also extended his wishes to the J-K cricket team competing in their first-ever Ranji Trophy finals against Karnataka. “May God give them success. That is the most important thing. We congratulate them for reaching this far and hope that they will win the finals,” he said.
On media credibility, Abdullah remarked, “We cannot fully trust our media. It is based on lies and suppressed by the government. Talking in front of it holds no significance until it strengthens its integrity.”
Paying homage to Sheikh Nazir Ahmad, he added, “He was a pillar of strength of the NC. He strengthened the party as its general secretary, and the success you see today is part of his legacy. God willing, this party will continue to run as its founders envisioned.”