Srinagar, Mar 5 : National Conference president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said that Omar Abdullah is in constant coordination with the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure the safe return of students from Jammu and Kashmir stranded in Iran.
Speaking to reporters in Srinagar, Abdullah said that efforts are underway to bring the students back safely and that they have been shifted to safer locations for the time being.
The veteran politician also remarked that the situation in the region has escalated into a war, alleging that the United States wants to capture Iran and warning that the consequences of such a conflict would not be good.
“Those stuck in Iran will return safely. For that, Omar sahib is working in coordination with the foreign ministry. They have already been evacuated from vulnerable areas and shifted to safer locations. They will first be moved through land routes (to neighbouring countries), and from there they will be brought back home by air,” Abdullah said.
The remarks come amid growing anxiety among families in Kashmir whose children are studying in Iran. Families have urged authorities to ensure their immediate evacuation amid the escalating tension in the Middle East.
According to officials, several Kashmiri students studying in different universities in Iran had already returned after the Indian Embassy issued an advisory asking them to leave the country. However, many students remain stranded.
On Wednesday, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that authorities had managed to move many students from war-hit Iran to safer areas.
He said a number of final-year medical students doing internships in hospitals had initially chosen not to leave, informing embassy officials that they felt safe at their workplaces. However, another group of fourth- and fifth-year students has reportedly faced resistance from their medical colleges.
“The colleges told the students that if they leave, their entire academic year will be wasted and they will have to repeat it,” Omar said.
According to the J&K Students Association, more than 2,000 Kashmiri students are studying in Iran, with around 95 per cent enrolled in medical courses.