Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir ruling National Conference on Wednesday welcomed the decision of United Kingdom to lift the negative travel advisory against some parts of the state.
"It is a victory of people that after two decades the UK has lifted its advisory against visiting Kashmir and it could not have happened without the active and personal interest shown by the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah himself," National Conference spokesman Tanvir Sadiq said in a statement here.
"This is a defeat for all those people who have unleashed a barrage of negative propaganda against the state," he added.
Calling this decision as an eye opener for all those who oppose revocation of AFSPA, Sadiq said "If a foreign country feels that Kashmir and Jammu is safe for their citizens, it is surprising why even then some of our own people still oppose it on one pretext or the other."
Terming the decision as good news for Kashmir and for tourism, Sadiq said it brings new hopes that more countries will follow this decision.
"United Kingdom is the third nation after Japan and Germany who have lifted travel advisory and the government deserves all the praise for this.
"The day is not far when countries like Canada, Australia, America and New Zealand will also follow," he said.
Appreciating the government, he said "the MoS Tourism Nasir Wani has been consistently in touch with many representatives of foreign countries to lift the travel advisory and we are positive that things are going in the right direction."
PTI
