Srinagar, Feb 24: National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday appealed to students from Jammu and Kashmir studying in Iran to immediately return home and strictly follow the Government of India advisory, warning that evacuation could become extremely difficult if the situation worsens.
The Embassy of India has advised Indian nationals to leave Iran by available means of transport, including commercial flights, following recent protests in the country.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar after paying tributes to former NC general secretary Sheikh Nazir Ahmad at Soura, Abdullah asked students not to delay their departure. “I want to tell the students of Jammu and Kashmir to leave immediately. When the advisory has been issued, they should pack their bags and return home,” he said. He cautioned that the situation could change suddenly and airspace closures would make evacuation nearly impossible.
“Otherwise, when the airspace is closed tomorrow, their parents may panic. They should leave before it comes to that. Otherwise, there will be no one to evacuate them,” Abdullah added.
The NC president said advisories issued by the government should be taken seriously, especially in volatile international situations where travel options can shut down quickly.
He stressed that students should not wait for conditions to deteriorate before acting and should instead utilise currently operational commercial flights to return safely.
During the interaction, Abdullah also extended his best wishes to the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team playing Karnataka in the Ranji Trophy final, congratulating them for reaching the summit clash and hoping for victory.
Paying homage to Sheikh Nazir Ahmad, he described the late leader as a pillar of strength for the party who played a significant role in strengthening the National Conference over the years.
