Srinagar, May 28: People’s Democratic Front (PDF) President and former minister, Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen on Wednesday appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to announce a comprehensive and time-bound special package for the residents of border areas recently affected by intense cross-border shelling from Pakistan.
In a statement issued here, Yaseen expressed deep concern over the prevailing humanitarian situation in the border belts of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in areas along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), where several civilian families have been forced to flee their homes in the wake of recent cross border shelling.
“We are hopeful that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will treat this matter with urgency and prioritize assistance for these vulnerable populations,” he said.
Hakeem underscored the serious crisis gripping Kashmir’s tourism sector in the aftermath of the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of several civilians, including tourists. “Tourism is the backbone of Kashmir’s economy. Thousands of families directly or indirectly depend on this sector for their livelihoods. Many people associated with the hotel and travel industry have taken heavy loans from banks to run their businesses and now face the risk of defaulting. I strongly urge the Union Home Minister to consider waiving off EMIs and outstanding bank loans of those working in the tourism and hospitality sector. Without such relief, hundreds of businesses may collapse, pushing families into economic distress,” he added.
Referring to the plight of farmers and orchardists, the PDF Chief said, “Orchardists are in despair. These are people who work hard throughout the year and depend on a single harvest for survival. The government must announce a special compensation package and provide them with subsidized horticultural equipment and support for replantation.”
The former minister further appealed to the Home Minister to lift the ban on some key tourist destinations, including Doodhpathri, Yousmarg and Tosamaidan, which have been closed off due to security-related concerns. “Youth from surrounding areas had been using these sites to earn their livelihoods through tourism-related activities. Closure of these destinations has rendered hundreds of youth jobless,” he said.
Yaseen emphasized that a multi-pronged strategy was needed for the revival of Kashmir’s tourism. This should include robust marketing campaigns to restore tourist confidence, infrastructure improvement in tourist circuits, loan support, and reopening of all safe destinations. “We need a clear and practical roadmap from the Centre for reviving tourism in the region,” he added.
