Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Sep 13: National Conference (NC) president, Dr Farooq Abdullah on Saturday expressed concern over the slump in Kashmir’s tourism sector following the April 22 terror attack.
Speaking to reporters in Pahalgam, Dr Farooq said that the tourism has been hit hard since the April 22 terror attack, causing a major blow to livelihoods. “Tourism is the backbone of Kashmir’s economy. The poor and the well-off alike depend on it. Winters shut us down, so the summer months are crucial,” he said.
“To take the fear out of the minds of the people, Omar Abdullah went to Kolkata and met West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee and tour operators. He also went to Ahmedabad, and today he is in Chennai to encourage people to visit Jammu and Kashmir,” he said.
The former Chief Minister welcomed initiatives to project normalcy, including promotional events and sports tournaments, urging people across the country to visit Kashmir. “It is important to send out the message that conditions are improving. Come and enjoy our hospitality,” he said.
He also termed Mehraj Malik’s detention as unjustified.
“Mehraj Malik used unparliamentary words out of anger, but slapping PSA on him is wrong. This could have been resolved through dialogue and withdrawal of his words,” he said.
Dr Farooq said he has appealed to the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to revoke the PSA, adding that “mistakes happen in the heat of the moment, but the answer lies in compassion, not coercion”.
The NC chief said that the Doda region remains disturbed, and only empathy and reconciliation can restore calm. “Our approach in such political matters must be guided by understanding, not harsh measures,” he said.
