Srinagar, April 3 – Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi, the chief Imam of the All India Imam Organisation, said on Friday that after the revocation of Article 370, Jammu and Kashmir has changed so much that it has become a model for the rest of the country.
Speaking to the media here, Ilyasi added that the efforts of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have yielded positive results in the transformed picture of Kashmir that we see today.
"Today, those hands that used to throw stones are now holding pens. Tourism is booming, although there was a temporary setback after the Pahalgam terror attack."
"Kashmir is now safe for everyone, and everyone should come here. Tourism is back on track, and Kashmir is moving quickly towards progress," Ilyasi said.
"I am highly impressed by the work Dr. Darakhshan Andrabi (Chief of the Jammu and Kashmir Waqf Board) has done here. It has opened my eyes. Her work in the Waqf Board has transformed Kashmir into a model for all of us," the chief cleric added.
He cautioned the "neighbouring country (Pakistan)" that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) would definitely be integrated with Jammu and Kashmir.
"The people there (PoK) are seeing the progress in Kashmir, and they are happy to see this. They want to hold a referendum and join India. With Allah's grace, their 'Ghar Wapsi' (return home) will soon take place," Ilyasi said.
Talking about the conflict in West Asia, the chief cleric said that war is not good for anyone, adding: "It harms everyone."
He expressed hope that Prime Minister Modi would mediate in the West Asia conflict, and that the war would soon end.
Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi is the Chief Imam of the All India Imam Organisation, the largest Imam organisation in the world, representing half a million Imams in India.
He is a prominent interfaith leader recognized for promoting peace, dialogue, and a "Nation First" ideology.