Srinagar youth drive through Pahalgam to restore hope, urge tourists to return

Pahalgam: After the tragic militant attack on April 22 that shook Pahalgam, fear has replaced the usual sound of tourists. Streets that were once busy now stand quiet, and with tourism stopped, the local economy is struggling. But recently, this silence was broken — not by fear, but by the roar of engines and a show of unity.
A group of young men from Srinagar drove through the empty roads of Pahalgam in a convoy of luxury cars, each car carrying bold stickers with the message “United Against Terror.” Their message was clear: Militancy will not define Kashmir but a gesture to reclaim the dignity of their homeland and to reassure fellow citizens that Kashmir still welcomes visitors with open arms.
Imtiyaz, one of the participants from Srinagar, said: “What happened here was truly unfortunate. That’s why we came here, we don’t represent any foundation or organisation, we’re just a group of friends. We came to raise awareness and express our deep sorrow over what happened in Kashmir. We want people to continue trusting this place. It may take some time, but everyone needs to support one another.”
He added, “Everyone has their own way; some are athletes, while others have different platforms. We wanted to use ours to spread awareness. Cars are something with which we feel a deep connection. What we did was entirely within the law. We’re car enthusiasts, and the people who’ve visited here will come again because they know we’ll always welcome them.”
Kabir, another participant in the rally, told ANI, “We belong to Srinagar. We came here, because we run a small group that goes on drives to nearby places. So, everyone got together and said, ‘We need to put out a message in the media and on social media that Kashmir is not being portrayed as it’s right now.’ Kashmiris are not militants. Everywhere, we’re being questioned. Our kids are outside, my nephew is outside, and so many of my friends have children studying or working outside. They’re being beaten up. Just because a few people came here and committed acts of violence, killing innocent people, that doesn’t mean all Kashmiris are responsible.”
He further said, “Since yesterday, many of my friends have called asking how to reach Pahalgam, as everything is shut and closed. So we thought, let’s go ourselves and show that if we can get there, so can you, and put an end to all this fear.”
“We’ll post reels of our cars and share photos to show that we are in Kashmir, specifically in Pahalgam. Everything is normal. We came in luxury cars, and no one troubled us. No one is bothering anyone. People are blaming the police, saying they aren’t letting people go, and blaming the army. But it’s all being told by people sitting outside, who don’t know the ABC of what’s happening here. We’re trying to convey a message: ‘Give Kashmir another chance.'”
Whatever happened, whoever suffered it was wrong. I’ll repeat it, Hindu or Muslim, that’s a different thing. First and foremost, human beings died. That’s why we came here, because every human life matters.”
While Zuhaib Khan said, “Look, the main motive behind coming in these cars was to send a message that neither Hinduism nor Islam permits what happened. You are all aware of the incident that occurred in Pahalgam, and we want to express to our brothers that we too are ashamed and deeply saddened by the tragedy that has befallen them.”
“So my humble request to them is, please come to Kashmir. Your decision not to come here is a defeat for this place. If you don’t come, those who caused this will feel like their mission was successful. That’s why you must show that Kashmir is ours, it always was, and it always will be. That’s the message we want to continue spreading”, he said.
He added further, “We chose cars because we wanted to attract people’s attention to show them that if we can come here, so can you. There’s no issue here. I’ve noticed that tourists are moving around freely and seem to feel very safe. They told us they have no problems here and that locals have been very supportive. We’re really glad you came here in support of us.”
Their peaceful rally, held without banners or politics, sent a clear message: militancy will not define Kashmir; unity will.