Locals protest against Pahalgam terror strike, say this attack was not on tourists, b
Locals protest against Pahalgam terror strike, say this attack was not on tourists, but on all of Kashmir
M.U.H
24/04/202538
The roads look deserted with police and CRPF men placed everywhere from Anantnag to Pahalgam, the top tourist destination which was full of tourists till yesterday is now empty as all the tourists have left the place either for Srinagar or their native places.
Police and the CRPF men deployed on the highway leading towards Pahalgam had established around 10 checking points and all vehicles were turned back. Only tourists, even some escorted with police vehicles left for Srinagar. “Everybody has left Pahalgam. Now it’s empty. Our economy is gone with one attack,” said Abdul Rashid of Sallar village who works at a local guest house. “Yesterday our hotel was full of tourists. Now nobody is here. I don’t think tourism will return soon to this destination,” he said.
Throughout the day top administrative and security force officers visited Pahalgam and many headed for Baisaran, where the attack took place on tourists.
“We have strict instructions from higher ups not to allow anybody inside Pahalgam, even tourists,” said a police officer deployed at Yanner bridge ahead of Pahalgam.
In the last five years dozens of new hotels and guest houses had come up in and around Pahalgam and with the good tourism rush all the hotels were full of tourists and almost all had bookings for the next four months. “The cancellations have started. We have got dozens of bookings cancelled after this attack. I don’t think tourists will return to this place,” said Javeed Ahmad, another hotelier.
The local tourist operators say that after Covid even high-end tourists had started visiting the resort. Even during winters, they had good business. “Now this place will be hit massively, and hundreds of locals will lose jobs If tourists won’t return soon,” said Ahmad. Even local tour operators, hoteliers and ponywalas held big protests in Pahalgam and adjacent villages. Carrying placards, the protesters were raising slogans against attackers.
Umar Majid Mir, who was sitting outside his restaurant Dana Rasoi, looked dejected.
“Yesterday, we didn’t have time to speak to people. Now we are all idle. This attack was not on tourists, but it was on all of Kashmir,” he said, adding that they feel ashamed that tourists who had come to enjoy this place lost their lives. “This will remain as a big scar on the face of our tourism industry especially in Pahalgam which had never witnessed such a mayhem in the last many years.”
Sabzar Ahmad, manager, Hotel Paradise, said that they have lost business and could lose jobs also but the biggest setback for them was loss of lives. “We never expected such gruesome murders will happen with tourists. It has left all of us and our families in pain. We can’t even compensate the tragic losses of families who lost their dear ones in the attack.”
