Pahalgam killings spark total shutdown in Kashmir; tourists cancel bookings, leave in hordes

Protests at Lal Chowk in Srinagar | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Pahalgam: Kashmir witnessed its first total shutdown in several years on Wednesday as political parties, trade unions, bar associations and prominent clerics condemned the killing of 26 tourists in Pahalgam by Pakistan-backed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists.

The targeting of the tourists last evening in one of the worst attacks on civilians in several years has also sparked large scale cancellations of bookings, and an exodus of tourists who were already in the Union Territory.

Tourism is one of the mainstays of the J-K economy. The total tourist footfall in 2024 was approximately 2.95 million, a rise from the 2.71 million in 2023 and 2.67 million the year before.

The sudden rise in the volume of tourists seeking to fly out of Srinagar has prompted the Civil Aviation Ministry to issue an advisory to airlines to “take swift action” to increase the number of flights.

The airlines have also been asked to waive cancellation and rescheduling charges for bookings to and from Srinagar.

“It’s heartbreaking to see the exodus of our guests from the valley after yesterday’s tragic terror attack in Pahalgam but at the same time we totally understand why people would want to leave” Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah posted on ‘X’.

It’s heartbreaking to see the exodus of our guests from the valley after yesterday’s tragic terror attack in Pahalgam but at the same time we totally understand why people would want to leave. While DGCA & the Ministry of Civil Aviation are working to organise extra flights,… pic.twitter.com/5O3i5U1rBh

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) April 23, 2025

Tour operators and hotel owners ThePrint spoke to said while they expected cancellations against bookings on dates immediately after the attacks, those booked for later dates are also getting cancelled.

Shop owners sit outside downed shutters at Lal Chowk in Srinagar | Praveen Jain | ThePrint

Tourism is the second main industry in Kashmir after horticulture and is estimated to generate about Rs 7,500 crore revenue annually.

The fear of the tourism sector becoming a casualty of the attack is real among Kashmiris and they held a number of protest marches in Pahalgam and at Srinagar’s Lal Chowk on Wednesday. The otherwise bustling Dal Lake area in Srinagar wore an empty look with no tourists and Shikaras.

Protests in Srinagar | Sharanveer Singh | Former intern of ThePrint School of Journalism

Several prominent newspapers published from the Valley printed their front pages black to protest the killings. “Gruesome: Kashmir Gutted, Kashmiris Grieving”, was the headline of English daily Greater Kashmir.

Protesters in Srinagar holding placards which read ‘United In Grief’ and ‘Violence Will Never Win’ | Sharanveer Singh | Former intern of ThePrint School of Journalism

J&K Grand Mufti Nasir Ul Islam and Kashmir’s top cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq had called for a shutdown against the Pahalgam killings. The Mutahida Majlis Ulema (MMU) had also called for a total shutdown in support and solidarity with the bereaved families.

A woman protesting the Pahalgam terror attack | Sharanveer Singh | Former intern of ThePrint School of Journalism

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association also joined the protest along with various political parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling National Conference.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and People’s Conference president Sajad Lone had announced their support for the bandh call by the Jammu Chamber of Commerce and the Jammu Bar Association.

“The attack goes against the livelihood of normal Kashmiris who now want to lead a normal life with their families,” a protester at the Lal Chowk said, refusing to be named in the story.

Only shops selling food and daily items remained open.

(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)