The deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives, including officers from the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy and the Intelligence Bureau (IB), has left the nation in mourning. Several others were injured in the indiscriminate firing by four militants, with some victims in critical condition. As tourists begin to leave Jammu and Kashmir, the atmosphere in the region is one of grief and fear.
PM Modi held a high-level meeting with EAM S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri at the airport, having cut short his visit to Saudi Arabia. Home Minister Amit Shah is on the ground zero to take stock of the situation. He is meeting wailing victims and has assured them that those responsible for this “dastardly attack will not be spared”.
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also condemned the tragic attack and called the exodus of tourists from the Valley “heartbreaking”. He has also directed a controlled exit of tourist vehicles via NH-44, as DGCA and the Ministry of Civil Aviation work to operate extra flights from Srinagar for tourists to other cities.
Local taxi drivers, who say that tourism is their primary livelihood, too, condemned the barbaric attack, adding that they will bear the brunt of the crisis. They have also urged people to “visit Kashmir without fear”.
‘Visit Kashmir; we are with you’: Taxi driver urges tourists
“What happened should not have happened. We are all in shock,” one taxi driver named Mohammad Iqbal from Pahalgam told the FinancialExpress.com.
He added, “We are facing many difficulties right now. After what happened yesterday, no one would want to come here.”
“Kashmir is known for its hospitality, and we will continue to show the same hospitality. Come without fear; we are with you,” Md Iqbal further said, stressing, “Tourism is our livelihood.”
He also mentioned that locals have arranged tea and food stalls for tourists and army personnel since the entire Jammu and Kashmir is shut down to condemn the attack.
The Jammu Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) has called for a “bandh” to condemn the attack. “On the instruction of the Party President, JKNC joins the collective call for a bandh in strong condemnation of the Pahalgam terror attack. We appeal to the people of J&K to ensure the hartal called by religious and social leaders is a complete success,” the party said in a statement. Additionally, the union territory observed two minutes of silence in light of the tragic attack.
‘Tourists are our brothers’
“We are offering free taxi services to tourists and have set up free food stalls for them. We strongly condemn the terror attack that took place yesterday. This is a massacre of humanity. Such things should never happen,” another taxi driver, Mohmmad Afzal, told the FinancialExpress.com.
He further expressed that “tourists are his brothers” and that “strict action should be taken against culprits”.
‘Nothing of this sort ever happened to tourists’: Gulmarg-based cab driver
“I have been bringing tourists for 25 years now, but nothing of this sort has ever happened to them. I am saddened by the tragic incident. I urge tourists to leave this incident behind and not be afraid. Security is very tight here…,” a Gulmarg-based cab driver, who runs a travel company named “Deshpande Travels”, told the FinancialExpress.com.
‘Don’t stop coming here’: Mumbai tourist
Mumbai’s Arun Kharate, who is on a trip to Kashmir, said that more and more people should visit Kashmir to help develop it like other Indian states. “Everyone is afraid, but if we stop coming here, the local economy will collapse. Such incidents don’t happen regularly.”
‘J&K is dependent on tourism’: West Bengal tourist
A third tourist, Somnath Chakraborty, who went to Gulmarg for a Gondola ride, told the FinancialExpress.com that he chose to do so because “he would panic if he were sitting inside the room.”
He added, “This should never have happened. What occurred was truly wrong. The entire livelihood here depends on tourism.”
One tourist from Mumbai, who was inside a hotel when the deadly attack occurred, said, “The situation is tense, but I am safe by the grace of God. Everyone should take care of themselves and their families.”
The Resistance Front (TRF), which functions as a “proxy outfit” of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) as per MHA, has claimed responsibility for the terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam.
Saifullah Khalid has been identified as the mastermind behind the Pahalgam terror attack. The assailants, as per a PTI report, have been named as Asif Fauji, Suleman Shah, and Abu Talha, who also operated under the code names Moosa, Yunus, and Asif. All three were reportedly involved in previous attacks in Poonch.
“More than 85,000 domiciles have been issued to non-locals, creating a pathway for demographic change in Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJK). These non-locals arrive posing as tourists, obtain domiciles, and then being to act as if they own the land. Consequently, violence will be directed toward those attempting to settle illegally,” TRF said in a statement.
(With inputs from Farooq Wani. He is the Editor of Brighter Kashmir, Author, TV commentator, political analyst and columnist.)