Srinagar: President of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Front (PDF) and former minister, Hakeem Muhammad Yaseen, on Wednesday strongly appealed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah to announce a comprehensive and time-bound special package for the residents of border areas recently affected by intense cross-border shelling from Pakistan.
In a statement issued here, Hakeem Yaseen expressed deep concern over the prevailing humanitarian situation in the border belts of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly in areas along the Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB), where several civilian families have been forced to flee their homes in the wake of recent cross border shelling. “The recent spate of cross-border firing has left many families shattered. Their homes have been damaged, crops destroyed, and normal life completely disrupted. The government must step in immediately with a targeted relief and rehabilitation package. We are hopeful that Union Home Minister Amit Shah will treat this matter with urgency and prioritize assistance for these vulnerable populations,” Yaseen said. Hakeem also underscored the serious crisis gripping Kashmir’s tourism sector in the aftermath of the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of several civilians, including tourists. He said the attack had instilled fear and uncertainty among travelers, resulting in mass cancellations of bookings and a sharp dip in tourist footfall—crippling an already struggling sector. “Tourism is the backbone of Kashmir’s economy. Thousands of families directly or indirectly depend on this sector for their livelihoods. From hotel owners to shikarawalas, ponywallahs, handicraft sellers, and transporters—everyone is suffering. Unfortunately, there has been little to no support from the government,” he said. Hakeem pointed out that many people associated with the hotel and travel industry have taken heavy loans from banks to run their businesses and now face the risk of defaulting. “I strongly urge the Union Home Minister to consider waiving EMIs and outstanding bank loans of those working in the tourism and hospitality sector. Without such relief, hundreds of businesses may collapse, pushing families into economic distress,” he added.
Referring to the plight of farmers and orchardists, Hakeem Yaseen said the recent windstorms and hailstorms had destroyed vast stretches of orchards across the Valley, especially in districts like Budgam, Shopian, and Pulwama. He said apple growers and other fruit cultivators had suffered heavy losses just ahead of the harvesting season. “Orchardists are in despair. These are people who work hard throughout the year and depend on a single harvest for survival. The government must announce a special compensation package and provide them with subsidized horticultural equipment and support for replantation,” Yaseen demanded. The PDF leader also appealed to the Home Minister to lift the ban on some key tourist destinations, including Doodhpathri, Yousmarg, and Tosamaidan, which have been closed off due to security-related concerns. He said youth from surrounding areas had been using these sites to earn their livelihoods through tourism-related activities. “Closure of these destinations ha rendered hundreds of youth jobless. These are peaceful and scenic spots that have the potential to revive domestic tourism in a big way. I urge the Home Minister to conduct a security review and lift the ban at the earliest, so that local youth are not left behind,” he said. Hakeem emphasized that a multi-pronged strategy was needed for the revival of Kashmir’s tourism. This should include robust marketing campaigns to restore tourist confidence, infrastructure improvement in tourist circuits, loan support, and reopening of all safe destinations. “We need a clear and practical roadmap from the Centre for reviving tourism in the region. Tour operators, hoteliers, artisans, and youth entrepreneurs must be made partners in this recovery process. The government must act without delay,” Hakeem concluded. He also reiterated that peace and economic stability must go hand in hand and called on the Central Government to ensure that development schemes reach the grassroots level across Jammu and Kashmir.
