Pahalgam: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah convened a special cabinet meeting on Tuesday in Pahalgam, the tourist town recently shaken by a deadly terror attack, sending a strong message that the government will not be cowed by acts of terror. This marked the first time during the current government’s tenure that a cabinet meeting was held outside the usual summer capital Srinagar or winter capital Jammu.
Following the meeting at the Pahalgam Club, the Chief Minister’s office posted pictures 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 office further affirmed, “The enemies of peace will never dictate our resolve. Jammu and Kashmir stands firm, strong, and unafraid.”
The decision to hold the meeting in Pahalgam aims to show solidarity with the local residents who have faced a sharp decline in tourism following the devastating terror attack on April 22 that claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists. Officials emphasized that the meeting’s significance lies in directly confronting anti-national and anti-social elements, asserting that violence has no place in Jammu and Kashmir.
During his previous tenure as Chief Minister from 2009 to 2014, Abdullah had also taken cabinet meetings to remote areas such as Gurez, Machil, Tangdhar in north Kashmir, and Rajouri and Poonch in the Jammu region. This approach signals the government’s commitment to outreach and inclusivity across the region.
The special cabinet meeting comes just three days after Abdullah proposed a dual strategy to revive Jammu and Kashmir’s struggling tourism sector. At the Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he urged the Centre to mandate public sector undertakings (PSUs) to hold meetings in Kashmir and to convene parliamentary committee meetings there. Abdullah believes these measures will help alleviate public fears, rebuild trust, and foster a renewed sense of security, ultimately paving the way for tourism’s revival and economic relief in the valley.
Earlier, on April 28, the Jammu and Kashmir government held a special day-long assembly session in Jammu, unanimously passing a resolution condemning the Pahalgam terror attack. The resolution reaffirmed the Legislative Assembly’s commitment to promoting peace, development, and inclusive prosperity, and to resolutely counter those seeking to disrupt communal harmony and progress in the region.
In an emotional 26-minute speech during that session, Abdullah stressed that he would not use the terror attack to press for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood, emphasizing that he does not believe in “cheap politics.”
With PTI inputs