Ishfaq gulzar cni Srinagar, CNI NEWS: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday said he remained in touch with the Union Home Minister over several issues concerning Jammu and Kashmir, including restoration of statehood, business rules, reservation and the appointment of a full-time Advocate General.Speaking to reporters, Omar said restoration of statehood remained among the issues being discussed with the Union Home Ministry.

He also referred to the business rules of the Union Territory administration and said Jammu and Kashmir had been without an Advocate General for the past two years.On the reservation issue, the Chief Minister said the J&K Cabinet had already sent a proposal to the Centre, but the proposal had not yet reached the Ministry of Home Affairs.Omar also spoke about what he described as an unfortunate situation for Muslims in India, referring to incidents involving demolition of mosques, assaults on Muslims and their treatment as outsiders.He said such developments were a matter of concern and reflected a difficult situation for the Muslim community in the country.

On the first International Film Festival of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar described the initiative as a positive development and said it could remind filmmakers of Kashmir’s earlier place on the country’s cinematic map.He said filmmakers had previously travelled to Kashmir to shoot films, rather than choosing destinations such as Switzerland, and expressed hope that the festival would help revive that connection.

The Chief Minister said the festival could also provide exposure and opportunities to the local film industry as well as students pursuing Mass Communication and related courses.He said the event could serve as a platform through which local talent could gain greater exposure to filmmakers and the wider film industry. CNI NEWS