Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on Sunday (September 21, 2025) that peace is a prerequisite for tourism and sports in Jammu and Kashmir. He stressed that no sector can grow without stability.
“Peace is the foundation for everything. If we plan day and night matches but the situation is tense, who will come to play?” he asked while launching the jersey of Real Kashmir Football Club in Srinagar. He said the new jersey also carried the message of peace.
His remarks followed those of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who had said a day earlier that peace was the prerequisite for development in the Union Territory. Mr. Sinha admitted that remnants of terrorism still exist.
Omar Abdullah said law and order does not fall under his government’s control. “Yet we are blamed for every incident in J&K,” he noted. He urged security agencies to fulfill their responsibility in restoring peace.
The Chief Minister also underlined his government’s focus on youth and sports. He said sports facilities are coming up in nearly every assembly segment. “We build infrastructure based on youth interest and then hand it over to them,” he added.
He announced that the Kashmir Marathon will take place in Srinagar on November 2 and invited athletes across India to join.
Speaking on the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, he said rains damaged a 300-metre stretch. The repair will be done soon, and vehicles are moving freely for now.
