Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday convened a special cabinet meeting in Pahalgam, the town recently hit by a deadly terror attack, to send a firm message that the government will not be cowed by acts of terror.
The meeting, held at the Pahalgam Club, was followed by the chief minister's office sharing images on X. Speaking at a press conference afterwards, Abdullah said the government was committed to restoring tourism in the Union territory despite recent challenges, including the aftermath of the India-Pakistan conflict.
“We want the world to recognise tourism in Jammu and Kashmir as a key economic activity. While we must proceed with caution, we are determined to restart tourism in the valley. The past few weeks have been difficult for the country, but Jammu and Kashmir has suffered the most. Our government will determine the necessary steps to move forward, and I believe the Centre will support us,” he said.
The chief minister’s office echoed this sentiment on X, stating, “Chaired a Cabinet Meeting at Pahalgam today. It was not just a routine administrative exercise, but a clear message – we are not intimidated by cowardly acts of terror.”
"The enemies of peace will never dictate our resolve. Jammu and Kashmir stands firm, strong, and unafraid," it added.
This cabinet meeting marked a first for Abdullah’s government, as it was held outside the traditional summer and winter capitals of Srinagar and Jammu. Choosing Pahalgam as the venue demonstrated solidarity with the town's residents, who have seen a steep decline in tourist numbers since the April 22 attack that claimed 26 lives, most of them tourists.
Officials highlighted that the meeting’s true importance lay in the symbolic message it sent to anti-national and disruptive elements — that violence has no place in Jammu and Kashmir.
During his previous term as chief minister from 2009 to 2014, Abdullah had similarly held cabinet meetings in remote regions including Gurez, Machil, and Tangdhar in north Kashmir and Rajouri and Poonch in the Jammu region.
The special cabinet session also came shortly after Abdullah, on Saturday, proposed a two-pronged strategy to revive the region’s tourism sector. At the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he urged the Centre to instruct public sector undertakings to organise meetings in Kashmir and called for parliamentary committee meetings to be held in the valley as well.
He believes such measures will help reduce fear, restore confidence, and ultimately lead to the revival of tourism, bringing much-needed economic stability and a return to normal life in the region.
Earlier, on April 28, the Jammu and Kashmir government held a special one-day assembly session in Jammu, where a unanimous resolution was passed condemning the Pahalgam attack and vowing to oppose any attempt to disturb communal harmony or hinder progress.
