Ahmedabad, July 31 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, currently on a two-day visit to Gujarat to promote tourism in the Union Territory, took to social media to praise Ahmedabad’s Sabarmati Riverfront, calling it “one of the nicest places” he has run.

CM Abdullah, who went for a morning jog along the popular promenade, is in the state to engage with tour operators and reconnect with a key domestic travel market following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that deeply impacted tourism in Kashmir.

He wrote on X: While in #Ahmedabad for a tourism event I took advantage of being here to get my morning run at the famed Sabarmati River Front promenade. It’s one of the nicest places I’ve been able to run & it was a pleasure to get to share it with so many other walkers/runners. I even managed to run past the amazing Atal Foot Bridge.”

The tweet set a lighter tone to a visit marked by a serious mission: rebuilding tourist confidence in Jammu and Kashmir following the April terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives, including several from Gujarat.

The J&K CM, in the city for a major tourism outreach event, said the visit is part of efforts to restore Jammu and Kashmir’s standing as a safe and welcoming destination. “Gujarat, along with Maharashtra and West Bengal, has always played a major role in Kashmir’s tourism economy,” said CM Abdullah, expressing hope that Gujarati tourists would soon return in large numbers. However, the visit also carried a strong political undertone.

Addressing the media on July 30, Abdullah sharply criticised the Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration over intelligence and security lapses linked to the Pahalgam attack. “Even the Lieutenant Governor has admitted there was a failure. If that’s the case, someone must be held accountable,” he said.

While the three terrorists responsible have been eliminated, CM Abdullah pointed out that no action has yet been taken against the officials responsible for the lapses.

He also questioned the Centre’s claims post-Article 370 abrogation. “They said terrorism would end after 370 was removed. It’s been five years. Terrorists are still being killed. So what happened to those promises?” he asked.

Earlier on Wednesday, he met Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in his office in Gandhinagar. The meeting focused on deepening inter-state relations, promoting tourism and sharing best practices for inclusive development.

–IANS

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