Will welcome cinemas in Valley: CM

Srinagar: Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah today said his government will welcome setting up of cinema halls in the state, however, made it clear that will not force anyone to do so.
“Cinemas have always been a private sector enterprise. If anyone wants to set up a cinema hall in the state, the government will be happy to look into it,” CM told reporters here.
However, the state government is neither in the business of setting up cinema halls nor will give subsidy to any such venture, he added. Cinemas were closed in Kashmir Valley following attacks by militants in the early 1990’s during armed insurgency.
National Conference president and Union Minister Farooq Abdullah had recently advocated reopening of cinema halls and liquor shops in Kashmir so that tourists visiting the Valley have more entertainment options. His statement had evoked sharp criticism from religious organizations and separatist leadership in the Valley which said cinema and liquor were ‘root causes’ of most ‘social evils’.