Our matters won’t be solved in Washington: Omar before meeting with Sergio Gor

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor is scheduled to visit Srinagar on Wednesday and meet with Jammu and Kashmir's Chief Minister Omar Abdullah before proceeding to Ladakh. In anticipation of the meeting, Abdullah expressed his anticipation but emphasized that the region's issues are not solely his responsibility. Speaking to reporters, Abdullah stated that he prefers to discuss matters directly with the governments involved and urged Gor not to complain to an ambassador about domestic issues.

The former chief minister reiterated that addressing the state's concerns lies within the purview of the Indian government, not the United States'.

Abdullah also noted that it has been a considerable amount of time since a US ambassador had visited J&K, last occurring in January 2020 during the constitutional changes in the region. The meeting with Gor is expected to take place at the Chief Minister's Gupkar residence in Srinagar on Wednesday afternoon. The last such visit occurred in January 2020, when US Ambassador Kenneth Juster and envoys from 14 other nations toured Srinagar and Jammu in response to the constitutional amendments in J&K.

Simultaneously, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has organized a protest outside the civil secretariat on Wednesday, alleging corruption within Omar Abdullah's government. In response, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah dismissed the claims, stating that his administration is incapable of investigating such allegations. He further challenged the BJP to uncover any evidence of corruption and file cases if found, but cautioned against spreading unsubstantiated accusations.

Former chief minister and People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti called upon Gor to review and revoke the highest-level travel advisory issued against Kashmir. Mufti argued that the advisory serves as a significant barrier to international tourism, impacting the livelihoods of thousands of families who rely on the tourism industry.

She emphasized that lifting the travel ban would send a strong message of confidence to the world, potentially boosting tourism and alleviating the economic hardships faced by many in the region.