New Delhi: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah backed PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday for writing to PM Modi seeking opening of the Sharda Peeth pilgrimage site across the Line of Control (LoC) in Pakistan.
"Wrote to PM @narendramodi for opening of Sharda Peeth route for facilitating the Pandit community. I hope like Kartarpur, this too will be considered for better peace & prosperity in the region," tweeted Mufti.
In her letter, Mufti called the opening of Kartarpur corridor as another window of opportunity and said "her party has always considered people-to-people contact between India and Pakistan as an important confidence building measure".
Omar Abdullah, who earlier extended support to the PDP to form government in Jammu and Kashmir, agreed with Mufti's request to PM Modi.
"Happy to endorse good steps. We need to collectively ask for all historic routes to be opened in Jammu, Kashmir, Kargil & Leh all the way up to Turtuk," Abdullah tweeted.
Mehbooba said Sharda Peeth in Pak-occupied Kashmir is an outstanding relic of Kashmir's glowing history.
Citing examples from the past, Mehbooba hailed the opening of Muzaffarabad and Rawalkot routes, though she added that their full potential was yet to be realised.
"Kartarpur has encouraged the (Kashmiri) Pandit community to see a possibility of the Pilgrimage to Sharda Peeth in the same spirit and our belief is strengthened by the reported offer of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan to allow it along with pilgrimage to Katas Raj," the PDP president said in the letter.
Mehbooba said a few members of the Kashmiri Pandit community discussed the issue with her and urged her to take up the matter with the prime minister.
"I am sure you would kindly have this request considered on priority. Though it will be a measure specific to the Pandit community, I have no doubt it would be welcomed by every citizen of the state and would considerably help in addressing the feeling of despondency in a major section of population," she said.
The much-awaited corridor will connect Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur - the final resting place of Sikh faith's founder Guru Nanak Dev - with Dera Baba Nanak shrine in India's Gurdaspur district and facilitate visa-free movement of Indian Sikh pilgrims, who will have to just obtain a permit to visit Kartarpur Sahib, which was established in 1522 by Guru Nanak Dev.
The Kartarpur Corridor, which will facilitate the visa-free travel of Indian Sikh pilgrims to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, is expected to be completed within six months.
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