By Sheikh Khalid Jahangir

Pahalgam has long been one of India’s most popular tourist spots. It is surrounded by the beautiful Himalayas, and it is a place where nature shows itself in its most pure form. 

The Lidder River flows through the valley with a soothing murmur, and the air is still and calm, inviting you to think. 

Verdant meadows roll on forever beneath snow-capped peaks. People have been coming here for generations to find peace, adventure, and a short break from the craziness of everyday life. 

But behind this calm surface is a story that is much more complicated and painful. 

The peaceful beauty of Pahalgam has been marred by cross-border sponsorship of violence that has left deep and lasting scars over the years. What should have been a safe place has, at times, become a place of tragedy, where moments of happiness have quickly turned into fear and sadness. 

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Like much of Kashmir’s history, Pahalgam has a pattern of unrest that keeps happening. Because the area’s security situation is so unstable, violent events are not just one-time events but part of a worrying cycle. 

Time and again, attacks have broken the fragile peace, making it hard to know how well current security systems work. These events don’t just make the news, they change lives, alter how people think, and leave behind a feeling of vulnerability that is hard to shake.

The effects of this kind of violence go far beyond the deaths that happen right away. Every time something bad happens, tourism, which is the main source of income for Pahalgam, suffers a lot. 

The town used to be full of tourists from all over the country and beyond, but now it often has to deal with sudden drops in foot traffic. Half-empty hotels, struggling local businesses, and........

© Kashmir Observer