Calm Returns to Kashmir Valley: Traders Hope for Tourism Revival After Tensions Ease (Image: ANI)
Srinagar and several parts of the Kashmir Valley remained calm on May 12, 2025, following a recent easing of tensions between India and Pakistan. Visuals from Dal Lake reflected peaceful conditions, offering hope for a return to normalcy and a revival of tourism in the region.
Bashir Kongposh, General Secretary of the J&K Traders and Manufacturers Federation, expressed cautious optimism. “We hope tourists will return to Kashmir; we promise them a warm welcome,” he said. According to Kongposh, hotels were operating at full capacity before the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed 26 lives and led to heightened military activity.
He urged the administration to publicly confirm that Kashmir is safe for tourists and requested the Lieutenant Governor to resume air services and reopen schools to restore confidence among visitors and residents.
The recent understanding between India and Pakistan, which led to a pause in cross-border shelling, has been credited with restoring calm in the region. In Kupwara district’s Chowkibal area, the local market reopened on May 1 after a week-long shutdown caused by shelling.
Speaking to ANI, shopkeeper Naseer Ahmad said, “First of all, I thank Allah that He has dealt with this big trouble. We got rid of this big problem. It is heard that the firing has stopped.” He added that the market had been closed for seven days. “People lost their lives in the night. When they heard that the firing stopped, they were very happy.”
Ahmad said the market had suffered damage, and called it vital for the community’s livelihood. He urged the government to ensure safety measures such as the construction of bunkers and provide compensation for recurring damages.
The border areas of Jammu and Kashmir bore the brunt of escalated military tensions after India launched Operation Sindoor in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. With tensions now reduced, local traders are hopeful that tourism—an essential pillar of the Valley’s economy—will gradually recover.
(With inputs from ANI)