Amit Shah begins two-day Jammu visit; border security, development on agenda

Union Home Minister Amit Shah arrived in Jammu on a two-day visit to review the overall situation in Jammu and Kashmir in general, and the border areas in particular. He landed at Jammu Technical Airport late Thursday evening and immediately drove to Lok Bhavan.

An official said that during his two-day visit, the Union Home Minister will review border security, hold high-level security meetings, and assess the development scenario in the Union Territory. He will also interact with the families of martyrs and participate in a compassionate appointment programme at Lok Bhavan in Jammu.

"On Friday, the Union Home Minister will first inspect areas under the jurisdiction of Border Outpost (BOP) Gurnam at 11:10 am. He will then visit Border Outpost Bobiya at 11:30 am, where he will e-inaugurate and e-lay the foundation stone of six welfare schemes for border guards, aimed at strengthening infrastructure and improving welfare measures for personnel deployed along the borders," the official added.

"Later in the day, the Union Home Minister will chair a Jammu and Kashmir Security Review Meeting at Lok Bhavan, Jammu, at 2:30 pm to take stock of the prevailing security situation and the ongoing measures to maintain peace and stability in the region," the official said. "At 3:00 pm, the Union Home Minister will interact with the families of martyrs and participate in a compassionate appointment programme at Lok Bhavan, reaffirming the government's commitment to supporting the families of those who have laid down their lives in the service of the nation."

He further said, "On February 7, the Union Home Minister will chair a meeting on the development of Jammu and Kashmir at 10:30 am at Lok Bhavan, Jammu, to review progress on key development initiatives and future plans for the Union Territory. He will leave for New Delhi on Saturday afternoon."

Referring to the Jammu visit of the Union Home Minister, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told the Legislative Assembly that he would raise the issue of reopening tourist destinations closed after the Pahalgam terror attack with Shah.

"Several tourist locations in Kashmir have remained shut. The issue will be taken up with the Home Minister," he said.

Leader of Opposition Sunil Sharma welcomed Shah's visit and said the scheduled security review would accelerate development in the Union Territory. "There will be a review of development-related schemes run by the Central Government. This will accelerate the pace of development and boost the morale of security forces," he said.

Tanvir Sadiq, Chief Spokesperson of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, said the visit "brings a ray of hope" and called for the restoration of statehood and action against attacks on Kashmiris outside the Union Territory.

PDP MLA Waheed Para said Shah's visit should be utilised to promote development and address the concerns of youth. He called for measures related to employment, dignity, and political outreach to restore confidence among young people in the region.

It may be recalled that during his previous visit to the Union Territory, Home Minister Shah had similarly combined security consultations with administrative and development reviews, meeting local leadership and senior security commanders to assess operational priorities and the progress of central projects.