Jammu and Kashmir CM Advocates Reopening Tourist Spots

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah emphasizes the need to gradually reopen tourist sites in the Union Territory to convey normalcy following the Pahalgam terror attack. He maintains that closed destinations send the wrong message and that outsiders were responsible for the attack that claimed 26 lives.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has urged a gradual reopening of tourist sites in the Union Territory, closed since the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians. In remarks to reporters, he stressed consultations with police and security personnel are vital before resuming tourism activities.

Omar Abdullah expressed concern that prolonged closures of tourist destinations amidst efforts to project regional normalcy could send the wrong message. "While advocating for tourism promotion and normalizing Kashmir, it's contradictory to keep destinations closed," he remarked. He noted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's initiatives to reinvigorate tourism should not be undermined by continuous closures.

Highlighting that the attackers were non-locals, Abdullah revealed that two locals arrested under suspicion of aiding the attack were possibly coerced. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is continuing its investigation and is expected to file a chargesheet soon. Evidence collected includes eyewitness testimonies and video footage, awaiting detailed analysis.

(With inputs from agencies.)