If one were to glance at the map of India, it becomes evident that Rajasthan and Gujarat share significant borders with Pakistan—perhaps even more so than Jammu & Kashmir. Yet, over the decades, the shadows of cross-border terrorism have loomed almost exclusively over the Kashmir Valley. Rajasthan, despite witnessing full-fledged wars—immortalised in cinema through films like JP Dutta’s Border—has remained largely untouched by the chronic internal insurgency that has plagued Jammu & Kashmir.
Clearly, the issue is not merely geographical. It runs deeper. It’s not just about what lies across the border—it’s also about what is harboured within.
The tragic events of April 22nd in Pahalgam have once again derailed what was a promising and flourishing phase for the Valley’s tourism sector. According to recent media reports (post that apocalyptic day of 22nd April’25), flights to Srinagar have been operating with vacant seats, tour operators are overwhelmed by cancellation requests, and hotels that were once teeming with travelers are now silent and deserted. The industry that breathed new life into the valley’s economy has come to an abrupt and painful halt.
And yet, amidst this renewed chaos, one persistent question arises:
• Why do some among us—some from the very soil of Kashmir—continue to support those who bring death and destruction?
• Why would a youth, full of potential and possibilities, choose the path of terrorism over peace?
• Why, despite knowing the irreversible damage, do some still offer safe haven or ideological sympathy to those intent on turning this paradise into a battlefield?
Tourism in Kashmir has never been just about economics—it has been a symbol of normalcy, a bridge of trust, and a promise of a brighter tomorrow. In 2023 alone, tourism in Jammu & Kashmir generated over ₹12,000 crore and recorded an unprecedented 2.11 crore tourist visits—more than doubling from pre-pandemic levels. This surge brought with it millions of jobs, direct and indirect, and a new wave of optimism across the region.
Encouraged by this resurgence, the Government of India had announced major plans to invest further in Kashmir’s tourism sector. A proposed ₹1,000 crore investment was allocated to develop infrastructure, improve connectivity, promote heritage tourism, and even offer on-arrival visas to international tourists. Ambitious goals were set to increase the sector’s contribution to the Gross State Domestic Product from 7–8% to at least 15%.
Projects such as the Vande Bharat Express and the establishment of 75 Sufi/religious/heritage tourism sites were underway. The pride of India’s railway engineering—the Chenab Rail Bridge, completed in August 2022 as part of the Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link—stood tall as a beacon of integration, progress, and national unity. Kashmir, it seemed, was finally ready to step into the light.
But all it took was a single terrorist strike to shake this foundation.
Now, investors are wary, and national sentiment is tinged with disappointment. Doubt has crept in once again. In just a few minutes, the Valley’s aspirations were thrown into jeopardy. And the world asks once more: why must the many pay the price for the choices of a few?
This is a moment of reckoning for Kashmir.
"You cannot light a lamp and invite the wind." You cannot build a future on the fragile premise of peace while tolerating the very forces that seek to dismantle it. Terrorism and tourism are like oil and water—they cannot, and will not, coexist. The people of India have long embraced Kashmir as their own. Millions have visited the Valley with love, reverence, and awe. Tourists became ambassadors of peace, spreading tales of Kashmir’s beauty and hospitality across the globe. But now, Kashmir must match that love with conviction. It must speak not only in sorrow but in strength. Because silence, in the face of evil, is not neutrality—it is complicity.
To their credit, many Kashmiris have risen above the fear. Stories of extraordinary bravery have emerged—locals shielding tourists during the Pahalgam attack, porters and hoteliers condemning the violence, and residents organising candlelight marches in solidarity. These voices are inspiring. But what is needed now is not isolated courage—it is collective will.
Kashmir must stand united. Not just against the terrorists, but against the ideology that enables them. These radicals—often funded and fuelled by a failing nation like Pakistan, mired in economic collapse—have only one mission: to destroy peace, stall progress, and keep the Valley trapped in a time warp of conflict. Their promises are cloaked in religion but stained with blood.
Let us be clear: peace is not simply the absence of violence. It is the presence of justice, unity, and an unwavering stance against extremism.
To our brothers and sisters in Kashmir—this is your time to choose. Do you want to welcome tourists or mourn their loss? Build your future or burn your present? Embrace progress or be manipulated by those who thrive on your pain?
You cannot have both—tourism and terrorism. And deep down, you already know which one will lead to the Kashmir we all believe in.
(All views and opinions expressed are author's own)
