Srinagar, June 22 : National Conference President and Member of Parliament Farooq Abdullah on Thursday visited Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district and reviewed the status of arrangements made for the Amarnath Pilgrims.
The 62-day-long annual Amarnath Yatra begins from July 1 from the twin routes of Pahalgam in South Kashmir and Baltal in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district.
Farooq hoped that the yatra would commence on a good note and no untoward incident or natural calamity occurs during the two month long Yatra period.
He expressed gratitude to the administration for making available all sufficient arrangements for the yatris on the traditional route of Pahalgam.
Farooq said a small but a good hospital fully equipped is available for the treatment of the pilgrims when needed.
However, he expressed dismay over the shortage of staff including female nurses.
He said instead of the authorities’ picking up the nursing staff from the other hospitals for Amarnath Yatra duty, a lot of jobless nurses are there and they should be appointed on temporary basis during the yatra period. It would also provide them employment at least for this period, he added.
Farooq said the pilgrims will come and go back with a message of love and hospitality.
“This nation belongs to all of us including Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian or Bodh…all are equal and nobody is neither above nor below of anyone..this is our constitution which provides the guarantees of it,” he said.
The former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir said that Kashmir’s always have provided best hospitality for the Amarnath Pilgrims and hoped that this time too the yatris will go back with a message of love and harmony from here.
