Omar pins hopes on FM talks for resolution of bilateral issues

“Visa regime should be made easy…long term visas should be acted upon…Sir Creek,Siachen issues can be resolved… cross-LoC trade can be improved,” he said during inspection of a 750 m bridge,the fourth such structure,on Tawi river in Bagwati Nagar here.

“Our foreign minister is going to Pakistan,possibly in September…We hope he would be able to resolve some of these issues during the talks,” he said.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna will undertake his much-anticipated visit to Pakistan in the first half of September. He was scheduled to travel to Pakistan on July 18-19 but had to call off the visit as the dates clashed with the Presidential elections.

Replying to another question on Jameet-e-Islami’s dress code diktat for tourists,particularly foreigners,Omar blamed the media for blowing up the issue.

“Jameet-e-Islami has not said anything like that…they have made it cleared…It does not have any affect on the ground…media is blowing up the issue unnecessary,” he said.

On another question about monkey hopping on beds in GMC hospital in Jammu,he said,”The government has taken a note of it…Those responsible for it would be punished.”