J&K Apni Party on Wednesday organised a Shikara rally at the famous Dal Lake here to send a message to the people of the country that Kashmir was eagerly waiting for them and was as safe as any other part of the country.
Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari said houseboat and shikarawalas, hoteliers, and taxi drivers in Kashmir were under duress and steps must be taken to help them."This rally has been organised to send a message to the people of the country that Kashmir is waiting for you and is safe. Visit Kashmir... your safety is guaranteed. Kashmir is as safe as any other part of the country," Bukhari told reporters after flagging off the rally.
He said the rally was held to also show solidarity with the tourism stakeholders."Be it the houseboat and shikarawalas, hoteliers, or tempo and taxi drivers, they are under duress, but we stand with them," he said.The Apni Party chief also appealed to the government to help the tourism stakeholders."There is a need for handholding... they need some help and that help should be provided to them," Bukhari added.
The tourism trade came to a standstill in most of Kashmir after the April 22 terror attack on tourists at Baisaran in Pahalgam, in which 26 people - 25 tourists and a local service provider - were killed. This is being seen as a a bid to restore confidence among tourists and revive the region’s ailing tourism sector and at the political level Apni Party is the first political party to take the initiative. The event was aimed at sending a clear message across the country — Kashmir is safe and open to visitors.
Speaking to the media after flagging off the rally, Apni Party president Altaf Bukhari said that the people of Kashmir, especially those dependent on tourism, are facing immense hardship due to the recent decline in tourist footfall. “This rally has been organised to send a message to the people of the country that Kashmir is waiting for you and is safe. Visit Kashmir… your safety is guaranteed. Kashmir is as safe as any other part of the country,” Bukhari said.
Bukhari expressed solidarity with the houseboat owners, Shikara operators, hotel staff, and taxi drivers, many of whom have seen their income disappear after the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 25 tourists and one local guide lost their lives.Highlighting the economic distress caused by the sudden drop in tourism, he urged the government to step in with financial and policy-level support. “There is a need for handholding. The tourism sector is under stress and it is the responsibility of the government to ensure they are helped during this crisis,” he said.
The Shikara rally, which saw enthusiastic participation from locals and tourism workers, was both symbolic and practical — a call to the rest of India that Kashmir continues to be a place of peace, beauty, and hospitality.
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