“I feel totally safe…” Defying fear, foreign tourists enjoy beauty of Pahalgam, days after attack

Pahalgam (J&K), April 27, 2025 (ANI): Five days after the shocking terrorist attack in the peaceful town of Pahalgam, a wave of resilience and optimism is sweeping through the valley. What was once a bustling hub with 5,000 to 7,000 tourists daily saw a dramatic dip to just 50-100 visitors in the days following the tragedy. But today, a heartening scenes were witnessed on the streets of Pahalgam as foreign and domestic tourists strolled through the town, bringing a sense of normalcy and hope back to the region. Croatian and Serbian tourists were seen exploring the streets of Pahalgam, completely at ease. Holding nothing back, they expressed their admiration for Kashmir's unmatched beauty and its warm people. Ljiljana from Croatia, while speaking to ANI, said “We are coming from Croatia and we are now 3 or 4 days here. We are feeling very safe and your country is very beautiful. We don't have any problem staying here. Kashmir is beautiful very beautiful. It’s very nice, your country is different. We are very, very satisfied with your nature, and people are very kind. We are happy here. We are all 12 people including two from Serbia and the others from Croatia.”On the Pahalgam attack, she added “We heard about the incident one day before. We had decided we must go to Kashmir. We’re feeling very safe, we had no problem here everything is okay. It’s terrible what happened. May those responsible hear this I hope it will stop, in our country and the whole world.” Vlatko, also from Croatia, said “It’s my 10th time in Kashmir and every time it’s fantastic. For me, it’s number one in the world natural, soft people. My group is very happy; it’s their first time here Croatian and Serbian people.” On Asked about safety post-attack, he said “I feel totally safe, no problem here. Everywhere, people say hello - zero, zero scared.” Despite recent events, the undying charm of Kashmir, the warmth of its people, and the resilience of its spirit are beginning to bring travelers back one step at a time.