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Australian Envoy Meets Kashmir CM to Discuss Situation

By Fayaz Wani

Srinagar, April 14: The Australian High Commissioner to India, Thomas Verghse called on Chief Minister of Indian administered Kashmir Omar Abdullah and discussed the prevailing situation in the region.

"In an hour long meeting, the two leaders discussed various issues relating to the socio-economic and political developments in Kashmir," an official spokesman said.

He said the Chief Minister apprised the Australian High Commissioner of the new initiatives taken by his government with the liberal financial logistic assistance from the Government of India (GoI) to ensure equitable development and peace in the region.

"The Australian envoy showed a keen interest in the innovative measures taken by the government to address the employment crisis, give considerable fillip to power generation and its transmission and distribution, help industrialization, upgrade health, education and road communication sectors and give impetus to the improvement of the tourist facilities in the State," he said.

Earlier, this week, a delegation of Australian high commission in India comprising Secretary Brendan Hodgson and Second Secretary Sarah Kirlew visited Kashmir and interacted with the separatist leaders.

The separatist leaders briefed the delegation about the human rights violations being committed by Indian soldiers in Kashmir and also apprised them about the killing of prominent Muslim religious leader, Moulana Showkat Ahmad Shah, who died in an IED explosion in Srinagar last Friday.

Fayaz Wani reports on life in Srinagar, Kashmir.