Pahalgam, Jun 10: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday said the people of Pahalgam should take responsibility for ensuring a smooth Amarnath Yatra this year.
“Amarnath Yatris ki rakhwali yahan ke logon ne karni hai,” she said, adding that she had told this to PDP workers during a meeting in Pahalgam.
Addressing media persons here, Mehbooba said the purpose of her visit was to mobilise party workers along the route of the Amarnath Yatra and encourage them to extend their support to the annual pilgrimage.
“I told them that the people of Pahalgam have to take care of Amarnath Ji’s Yatra so that the pilgrimage goes well. After that, people will regain their confidence, and tourism will start again,” she said.
The PDP chief said the tourism sector in Pahalgam had suffered a severe blow following the terror attack in Baisaran on April 22.
“Tourism has been shut down all of a sudden. Because of this, around 10,000 people from Pahalgam—be it horse riders (pony wallahs), hotel owners, shopkeepers, taxi drivers, auto drivers, or Sumo drivers—are suffering,” she said. “Everyone is suffering. They have taken loans from banks, and because of that, people here are very worried.”
The former CM urged the J&K government and the Lieutenant Governor to reopen several parks in Pahalgam. “I requested the government, LG Sinha, that some of Pahalgam’s parks have been shut—be it Chandanwari, Aaru, or Betaab Valley. Open them so that local tourists from Kashmir can visit these places, and people here—pony wallahs, taxi drivers, hotel owners—can earn their livelihood,” she said.
Mufti appealed to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) to reconsider the restriction allowing only one horse per person during the yatra.
“You have said that one person will bring only one horse. Here, in every village of Pahalgam, one person has more than two horses. You should change this. Give permission to bring as many horses as one has,” she urged.
Expressing hope and goodwill for the upcoming pilgrimage, Mehbooba said: “We want Amarnath Yatra to come. For hundreds of years, the Kashmiri people have welcomed them. God willing, this year also they will be welcomed.”
“They will be served generously, and they will return from there in good health,” she added.
