Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stated that peace is a basic prerequisite for development and vital for the tourism and sports sectors to flourish in Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking to reporters on Sunday, he emphasized, “For development, tourism or sports… we need peace for everything. If we talk about having day and night matches, and if the situation is not good, then who will come to play in the evening?”
Abdullah made these remarks after launching the jersey for the Real Kashmir Football Club in Srinagar. He reiterated that peace forms the foundation for all endeavors, remarking that the message conveyed through the program and the jersey is fundamentally about peace.
His comments echoed those of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who earlier stated that peace remains crucial for development in Jammu and Kashmir, noting that some remnants of terrorism persist in the Union Territory.
Abdullah clarified that establishing peace does not solely rest on his government’s shoulders, urging that those responsible should fulfill their duties. “At least there is something for which we cannot be held responsible because establishing peace is not the responsibility of my government. Yet, our government is targeted for everything,” he stated.
Focusing on sports, Abdullah mentioned his government’s dedication to upgrading sports infrastructure. “There is hardly any assembly segment where some sports infrastructure is not being built by our government. We assess the interests of youth in each assembly segment while developing this infrastructure,” he pointed out.
His aim is to create and enhance sports facilities and hand them over to the youth for their use. Tournaments and races are slated to occur at both district and sub-district levels, with the second edition of the Kashmir Marathon set for November 2. Abdullah extended an invitation to athletes from across the country to participate in the event.
In response to queries about the Srinagar-Jammu National Highway, which suffered damage from landslides due to heavy rainfall, he mentioned, “We haven’t been able to do black-topping on the 300-meter stretch that was washed away. We will address that soon. For now, vehicles are moving freely, with no one stranded.”
Earlier, during the launch of the special edition “Peace Jersey” of Real Kashmir FC, produced in collaboration with the Danish sportswear brand Hummel, Abdullah stated that this initiative symbolizes sports’ potential to promote peace, unity, and community spirit across Jammu and Kashmir.
The jersey design reflects Kashmir’s rich cultural heritage and aspirations, drawing inspiration from the historic Hari Parbat Fort, which symbolizes communal harmony. The kit features a sky-blue base to represent peace, officials noted.
Abdullah underlined the role of Real Kashmir FC in illustrating how football can inspire and unite communities. He concluded, “Sports are a vital bridge for peace.”
