Kashmiri Locals Responsible For Pilgrims' Safety During Amarnath Yatra, Says Mehbooba Mufti

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PDP leader urged locals to ensure the annual pilgrimage, starting next month, runs smoothly
Mehbooba Mufti, leader of the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), on Tuesday said that the safety of pilgrims during the upcoming Amarnath Yatra is in the hands of Kashmir's local people. Speaking at a meeting in Pahalgam, south Kashmir's Anantnag district, she urged locals to ensure the annual pilgrimage, starting next month, runs smoothly.
Addressing PDP workers and stakeholders at the Pahalgam tourist resort, Mufti stressed the importance of protecting the yatris (pilgrims). 'The security of the yatris is your responsibility. Every stakeholder has the responsibility to safeguard the yatra and yatris. More than the police and the security forces, it is you who have to secure them," she said. She specifically called on party workers living along the yatra route to take an active role in safeguarding the pilgrims.
Mufti also highlighted the long tradition of Kashmiri hospitality towards Amarnath pilgrims. 'The way in which the people of Kashmir have welcomed them for centuries, God willing, they will be welcomed this year as well. They will be served well and they will return safe and sound to their homes," she said, expressing hope that the pilgrimage would boost tourism in the region.
The PDP leader noted that tourism in Kashmir suffered after a terror attack in Pahalgam on 22 April, which halted visitor arrivals. This has hit local ponywallas, hoteliers, shopkeepers, and drivers hard, many of whom are struggling to repay bank loans.
To help revive the local economy, Mufti urged Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and the elected government to reopen popular tourist spots like Chandanwari, Aru, and Beetab Valley in Pahalgam.
She also appealed to the government to stop troubling ordinary citizens. 'I appeal to the government to stop calling ponywallas to Srinagar or Pahalgam for hearing. Do not do this to them. If you have to fight militants, do that, but do not harass common people. If you harass common people or make them your enemy, then it will not have good consequences," Mufti said.
Reflecting on past tensions, Mufti recalled a 2016 visit by an all-party delegation from Delhi during unrest following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani. The delegation was turned away by Hurriyat leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.
'I had said this before to the Government of India that there was a time when leaders from Delhi came to the doors of the Hurriyat, but Hurriyat did not open the doors. Today, the people of Jammu and Kashmir want to lend a hand of friendship towards you, but you should not do what the Hurriyat did that time," she stated.
(With inputs from PTI)
First Published:
June 10, 2025, 20:20 IST