Pahalgam terror attack: Locals count loss of earnings, pin hope on Amarnath Yatra

Pahalgam, May 22: A month after the deadly terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam, locals in the south Kashmir resort town stare at mounting livelihood losses, even as the perpetrators have managed to evade the massive crackdown launched by security forces to track them down.
The locals have now pinned their hopes on the upcoming Amarnath Yatra to undo some of the damage done to their livelihood.
While several top terrorists have been killed in various operations launched after the deadly April 22 attack at Baisaran meadows, the terrorists who carried out the massacre have eluded the security forces, officials said on Thursday.
Terrorists descended on the picturesque Baisaran meadows of Pahalgam on April 22 and shot dead 25 tourists and a local man who tried to save them. Though the exact number of terrorists who carried out the attack is not known, sources have said there were between four and six terrorists.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the terrorists shot the victims after verifying their religion by asking them to recite the “kalma”, the verse recited to profess Islamic faith.
The officials said the security forces were conducting relentless operations to track down the terrorists.
“They have managed to evade the security forces thus far but it won’t be too long before we get them,” a senior police officer said.
Thousands of suspects across Kashmir were called in for questioning while hundreds were detained as the security grid launched a massive crackdown to hunt down the perpetrators of the massacre.
Nearly 100 persons were booked under the Public Safety Act and sent to various jails.
There are reports that security forces also picked up youngsters who had already served terms for past associations with militancy.
Meanwhile, locals in Pahalgam and adjoining areas are counting their losses as tourists have stopped visiting.
“The place looks desolate. We used to have thousands of tourists on any given day in Pahalgam, providing livelihood opportunities for everyone — shopkeepers, roadside vendors, ponywallahs, cab drivers and hoteliers,” said tour operator Nasir Ahmad.
He said Pahalgam had not worn such a deserted look even at the peak of the early 1990s’ insurgency.
“We used to host local visitors (Kashmiris) and that sustained the economy at the worst of times. However, this time, even local visitors are not coming,” he said.
Mohammad Irshad, a shopkeeper, said the situation for those earning a livelihood from tourism had started to turn desperate.
“The government will have to do something. People have not earned a penny in the past month and it cannot go on like this for too long,” he added.
The locals are now hoping the Amarnath Yatra, scheduled to begin on July 3, would bring about a change in their fortunes.
“We are hopeful that the Amarnath pilgrims will help change the perception about Pahalgam. It was a sad and unfortunate incident that took place but it is not what Kashmir is all about. We are hospitable people and highly value our guests,” said Sabzar Ahmad, a ponywallah.
As security is always foolproof during the yatra period, the regular Hindu devotees may finally break the trend and arrive for the pilgrimage, he said.
“The arrangements for the yatra are always of the highest order and the locals have played their role in facilitating the pilgrims. We will do it again this year,” he added.