Omar welcomes opening of Sharda Peeth corridor

Srinagar: National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah Tuesday termed the opening of Sharda Peeth corridor a welcome step and asked Pakistan Prime Minister, Imran Khan to open all the routes, connecting the two parts of Kashmir, for greater people to people contact.

“After the welcome announcement to open the Sharda Peeth corridor to religious pilgrims by @ImranKhanPTI we hope the government in Pakistan will only announce the Kargil-Skardu road as also other routes to facilitate greater people to people contact (sic),” Omar wrote on Twitter.

On Monday Pakistan approved a proposal to establish a corridor that will allow Hindu pilgrims from India to visit Sharda Peeth in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, reports said.

The former chief minister said Sharda Peeth is an ancient Hindu temple and cultural site in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

“It’s good to see @ImranKhanPTI take decisions that have been held up for years. Allowing greater people to people contact & opening routes to religious pilgrims are always welcome developments that help to ease tensions,” he said on Twitter.

Omar hoped that the dialogue between India and Pakistan would resume soon.

“One can only hope that in a post May 23rd India these steps will be reciprocated by the central government & we can move towards resuming the comprehensive dialogue between India & Pakistan (sic),” he wrote.

When opened Sharda Peeth will be the second religious tract after Kartarpur corridor in Pakistan-administered that will connect the two countries.