Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said that the state is safe for tourists to visit as the political situation is under control.
The Chief Minister also said that given an opportunity, she would like to invite Bollywood superstar Salman Khan to promote tourism in Kashmir Valley. Mufti, who was present in Mumbai to promote tourism in her state and a trailer launch of a film 'Sargoshiyan' by actor-turned-director Imran Khan, urged all Mumbaikars to visit Kashmir this year.
When asked if she wanted any Bollywood actor to become the brand ambassador of the state tourism, Mufti said: "Given a chance, I would like to choose Salman Khan to promote tourism there."
After nearly nine months of unrest and shutdown since the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen terrorist Burhan Wani, tourism is slowly recovering in the Valley. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Friday said that the political situation is under control and more and more tourists should come and visit the state.
In an earlier interview, Salman Khan, whose 2015 hit Bajrangi Bhaijaan was shot in Kashmir, had said that he is in love with Kashmir and he'd like to return to the Valley and learn the language as well.
"Be it for films, family vacations or honeymoon, people should visit this place. It is the most beautiful place on planet earth. The people are very gentle, well mannered, beautiful and simple. I enjoyed my stay here and Insha Allah (God willing) will again visit very soon. I request all that the way I came here, they should visit too. If you have not seen Kashmir, then you have not seen anything," he said.
The Dabangg had also said that "we are fools that we go to Switzerland for shooting our films when we have everything here. There are so many places to explore here on films".
"Our prime reason for shooting here was to promote tourism in the Valley. We are here to invite the whole country, foreign countries to Kashmir, to come and see this beautiful place."
Kashmir looks breathtaking in spring, which is why Ms Mufti wants people to visit the tulip festival in April at Asia's largest Tulip Garden in Srinagar. She said, "Visit our Kashmir. Our state is safe for tourists."
The violent protests across Kashmir had taken a toll on tourism since Burhan Wani's death in July. Nearly 100 people were killed and more than 12,000 were injured in the clashes between people and security forces.
Extending an open invitation to everyone to visit Jammu and Kashmir during the spring as the state government was planning to host a tulip festival at Asia's largest Tulip Garden in Srinagar, Mufti said: "Visit our Kashmir. Our state is safe for tourists."
The evening was graced by many actors from television and films, including Farida Jalal, Alok Nath, Raza Murad, Kaushal Tandon and Deepshikha, among many others.
The story of 'Sargoshi' is weaved around the people of Kashmir and Kashmiriyat. The film features Tom Alter, Imran Khan, Farida Jalal, Alok Nath, Inderneil Sengupta and Aditi Bhatia, among others.
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