Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir), May 12: Following the recent India-Pakistan ceasefire understanding after Operation Sindoor, calm has returned to Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir, with visuals from Dal Lake depicting peace and normalcy.
Bashir Kongposh, General Secretary of the J&K Traders and Manufacturers Federation, expressed cautious optimism:
“We hope tourists will return to Kashmir, and we promise them a warm welcome. Before the Pahalgam attack, hotels were full and business was thriving.”
He urged the administration to reopen air services and schools and confirm to the public that Kashmir is safe for tourism.
Meanwhile, in Kupwara’s Reddi Chowkibal market, which had been shut for a week due to shelling, shopkeepers reopened their businesses on Sunday, marking a return to livelihood but also voicing concern about repeated damage during such escalations.
Shopkeeper Naseer Ahmad told ANI:
“We are grateful the firing has stopped. But the market is in ruins—shutters broken, goods destroyed. We need bunkers and compensation.”
Another trader echoed his plea, pointing to the lack of resources among middle-class families to relocate during conflict:
“We left our homes during shelling, many of us with children, elderly and even heart patients. We now hope this peace lasts.”
Locals emphasized that Operation Sindoor, India’s cross-border operation in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 lives, had brought direct consequences to civilians in border areas. While they welcome the pause in hostilities, they appealed for long-term solutions, including safety infrastructure and government support.