Srinagar, Apr 21: On the first anniversary of the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, tourists visiting Kashmir on Tuesday asserted that no such incident would deter them from travelling to the Valley, vowing to continue their trips undeterred by fear.
Visitors at major tourist hubs, including Gulmarg, Gurez and Razdan Top, said security measures were strong and that Pakistan would not be able to disrupt the prevailing peaceful atmosphere in the region.
“We are not afraid of Pakistan or those trying to disrupt peace in Kashmir. India is a peace-loving country. We will not tolerate any attempts to harm us,” Sunil Kumar, a retired Army officer from Himachal Pradesh, told Kashmir Convener at Gulmarg.
The April 22, 2025, attack in Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam – a meadow often referred to as ‘Mini Switzerland’ – left 25 tourists from across India, one from Nepal, and a local pony operator dead. Over 20 others were injured.
Describing the attack as an unfortunate incident, tourists said it would not impact footfall in the Valley. “Kashmir is a peaceful place and its people are peace-loving. We see them as our family members. There is no fear at all,” said Abhishek, a 45-year-old visitor from Uttar Pradesh.
Another group from Haryana urged tourists to continue exploring the Valley, describing Kashmir as a “mini Switzerland” with unmatched beauty.
“We want to give a loud and clear message to the enemies of peace, Pakistan: it’s our Kashmir, it’s our India’s part. We will not stop visiting here, no matter how many attempts you make to disturb the peace. Our Jawans, our army, our security forces – like Operation Sindoor – have given you an answer, and if anything like this happens in the future, there will be a hard answer back,” said a group of tourists from Gujarat in the Pahalgam market.
Kritik, a first-time visitor to Kashmir, and that too on the anniversary of the Pahalgam attack, said while in Pahalgam “I came here especially for this occasion to give my message to Pakistan No matter how evil your intentions are to attack this beautiful part of India, your such malicious actions will always be met with our brave resistance, and not a single citizen of India will be afraid or will be stopped from visiting here.
Dilip from Nagpur, who is currently visiting, says, “I have been here for four days now. I will be here for the next 4–5 days. Yesterday, I came to know that it was going to be April 22 soon. But it has been almost a year since I last visited this place. There is no fear here. Tourists are coming here. They can enjoy Kashmir. Kashmir is such a beautiful place”.
Meanwhile, authorities have tightened security across major hubs, with intensified patrols and drone surveillance on the eve of the anniversary. A QR code-based identification system has been introduced for all tourism service providers.
Abdul Waheed, president of the Ponywalla Association in Pahalgam, said all service providers have been verified by police and issued unique QR codes containing Aadhaar and driving licence details. “The code can be scanned by tourists or security personnel to access complete identification details,” he added.
Seventeen major destinations, including parts of Betaab Valley which were closed after the attack, have been reopened to restore normalcy.
Tourists across locations paid tribute to the victims, with many asserting that visits to Kashmir would continue.
“Kashmir is a paradise in India. We will keep coming again and again,” said Abhishek.
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