Srinagar, 18 February (H.S.): President People’s Democratic Front (PDF) Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen has maintained that permission for liquor sale was not essential for the promotion of tourism especially in J&K – the land of seers and saints.

He has strongly condemned statements by some political people for advocating sale and stock of liquor in Union Territory of J&K in the garb of tourism promotion .He said encouraging liquor sale in its any manifestation was against the basic tenets of Islam adding that the statements encouraging sale of liquor in Kashmir has severly hurt the religious emotions of the people especially Muslim Ummah.

In a statement issued today Hakeem Yaseen while condemning statements supporting sale of liquor in Jammu and Kashmir, for tourism promotion, has said ” If ban on sale of liquor was possible in Gujarat ,why not in J&K. ”

He said some political persons including spokespersons of a major political party has snow balled the issue of liquor ban in Kashmir by emphasizing that Kashmir is a tourist state and similar practices also do exist in many Arab countries. He said such irresponsible statements have badly hurt religious sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and they should immediately seek an unconditional apology from the people.

He said liquor sale has nothing to do with tourism promotion adding that despite a blanket ban on sale of liquor in Gujarat, Mizoram etc. Tourism was thriving there at the best . He said fact remains that over a period of time, liquor sale in J&K has become a major source of revenue collection for the successive regimes thereby ignoring the religious sanctity of the Kashmir known as the land of saints and seers – that was the reason that no regime in J&K since 1947 could afford to put ban on sale and stocking of liquor, though many a times various legislators brought their resolutions and Bills in this regard in the State Legislature .

He said advocating sale of liquor in any form of manifestation was not just insensitive but outright disgraceful also.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Krishan Kumar