Security of people during Amarnath Yatra is Kashmir’s responsibility, says Mehbooba Mufti

SRINAGAR: Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti Tuesday said the security of the upcoming annual Amarnath yatra is the responsibility of the people of Kashmir.

Mufti held a meeting with various stakeholders and PDP workers at the Pahalgam tourist resort in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district ahead of the yatra that begins next month.

“The security of the yatris is your responsibility. Every stakeholder has the responsibility to safeguard the yatra and yatris. More than the police and the security forces, it is you who have to secure them,” Mufti said addressing the meeting.

The PDP president said she had called those workers of her party who live along the route of the yatra and asked them to secure the pilgrimage.

“I told them that the people of Pahalgam have to secure the yatra so that it passes off well and confidence is restored among the tourists, by virtue of which tourism will be restored,” she said.

Mehbooba said the people of Kashmir, and especially Pahalgam, for centuries have welcomed Amarnath Yatris and the legacy will continue with the same spirit and sincerity.

“We want Amarnath yatris to come. The way in which the people of Kashmir have welcomed them for centuries, God willing, they will be welcomed this year as well. They will be served well and they will return safe and sound to their homes,” she added.

Mufti said the situation changed after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack and tourism in the valley came to a halt.

Thousands of ponywallas, hoteliers, shopkeepers, and taxi and auto drivers suffered. They have taken loans from banks and they are in distress, she said.

She appealed to the Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and the elected government to reopen parks like Chandanwari, Aru, and Beetab Valley in Pahalgam so that tourists could visit these places and help the hoteliers and ponywallas to earn their livelihood.

The PDP chief appealed to the government not to “harass” the common people.

“I appeal to the government to stop calling ponywallas to Srinagar or Pahalgam for hearing. Do not do this to them. If you have to fight militants, do that, but do not harass common people. If you harass common people or make them your enemy, then it will not have good consequences,” she said.

“I had said this before to the Government of India that there was a time when leaders from Delhi came to the doors of the Hurriyat, but Hurriyat did not open the doors. Today, the people of Jammu and Kashmir want to lend a hand of friendship towards you, but you should not do what the Hurriyat did that time,” she said.

She was referring to the visit of an all-party delegation from New Delhi to Kashmir in the midst of the 2016 agitation over the killing of then-Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.

The delegation visited the residence of Hurriyat leader late Syed Ali Shah Geelani, but the hardline Hurriyat chief did not open the doors of his residence and refused to talk to the delegation.

“Do not pull your hand back. Stop these arrests and locking parks. Own up the people here so that they become yours,” Mufti said.(Agencies)