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National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah has appealed to tourists to return to Jammu and Kashmir, saying that the region wants peace, not war, and lamented the impact of recent terror attacks on livelihoods tied to tourism, particularly in Pahalgam, ahead of the annual Amarnath Yatra.
Speaking to ANI in Pahalgam, Abdullah said, “The Prime Minister has sent delegations (to various countries). May they send the message that we want peace and we are not in favour of war… Killing innocent people should be stopped.”
His remarks came after all-party delegations began visiting key partner countries to reinforce India’s global stand against terrorism and promote peace Abdullah also appealed to tourists to return to Jammu and Kashmir, expressing sorrow over the recent terror attacks that have affected livelihoods and the region’s tourism-dependent economy. He specifically mentioned the impact on Pahalgam, which is preparing for the annual Amarnath Yatra.
“This year, we expected crores of people to come, and we have no place to accommodate them. But unfortunately, those who killed innocent people did not see what would happen (to taxi drivers, hotel owners, pony owners). We sell the beauty given by God and earn a living. We are very sad about what happened. Please come back, we are waiting for you (tourists)… ‘Bholenath’ is also waiting for you as Amarnath Yatra is about to start,” he said.
Commenting on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan, Abdullah said, “I don’t think we will stop the water…We have always maintained that this treaty is not beneficial to us…There is a huge shortage of water in Jammu.”
