High-level meeting to be held in Pahalgam to review tourism

Srinagar, June 25 (IANS) A high level meeting of tourism secretaries of all states will be held next month in J&K's Pahalgam to revive tourism in the Kashmir Valley, official sources said on Wednesday.

The Union Ministry of Culture and Tourism is going to hold a review meeting of tourism secretaries of all states on July 7 and 8 in Pahalgam to revive tourism in the Kashmir Valley.

”The meeting is aimed to send out a powerful message that the tourists are safe in Kashmir and they need to return to their dream tourist destinations in the Valley," official sources said.

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah also held a Cabinet meeting in Pahalgam to signal the revival of tourism by sending out a signal that the place is safe for everybody.

The government has also decided to raise a memorial at Baisaran to remember those killed by the terrorists.

The meeting of tourism secretaries is also being held in the aftermath of the heinous terror attack by Pakistan backed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorists in Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam on April 22 in which 26 civilians including 25 tourists and a local Pony owner were killed after segregating them on the basis of religion.

The local Pony owner was killed by the terrorists when he tried to save the tourists.

Entire country was outraged at the cowardly attack and Prime Minister, Narendra Modi gave a free hand to the armed forces to avenge the Pahalgam terror attack.

Indian armed forces later carried out target specific strikes at terror infrastructure in Pakistan as well as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.

In retaliation, Pakistan resorted to heavy shelling on civilian facilities in Poonch, Rajouri, Baramulla, Kupwara and Bandipora districts.

Eighteen civilians were killed in Pakistani shelling, 13 of them in Poonch district.

Scores of homes, shops, a temple, a gurdwara and a church were destroyed in Pakistan shelling in Poonch.

--IANS

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