NEW DELHI: In a bold departure from tradition, Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Tuesday chaired a special cabinet meeting in Pahalgam, the picturesque town that was rocked by a deadly terror attack last month, killing 26 people, mostly tourists.This is the first time since his government took office that a cabinet meeting has been held outside the summer capital Srinagar or winter capital Jammu. The decision to meet in Pahalgam, a key tourism hub, was more than symbolic.“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,” read a post from the chief minister’s Office on X, alongside images of ministers seated at the Pahalgam Club.Abdullah said the move aimed to “salute the courage of people” and push back against fear. “The enemies of peace will never dictate our resolve. Jammu and Kashmir stands firm, strong, and unafraid,” his office declared.In a personal post on X, the chief minister added, “We came to express solidarity with the local population. We’ve also come to thank all the tourists who are slowly making their way back to Kashmir and to Pahalgam.”
The April 22 attack had led to a steep drop in tourist arrivals, threatening livelihoods and fuelling fear. Officials say the cabinet’s presence in the town is a direct signal to anti-national forces that violence cannot dictate the region’s future.During the meeting, Abdullah also highlighted measures to revive tourism: “Sixty tour and tourism operators from Maharashtra are coming to Jammu and Kashmir. I thank all of them. Tourism should be conflict-neutral. From time to time it was used for politics. My government will insulate tourism from the situation.”The cabinet session comes days after Abdullah’s appeal to the Centre at the NITI Aayog Governing Council meeting. He urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct PSUs to conduct official meetings in Kashmir and convene parliamentary committee sessions here to boost the economy and public morale.“This is not about politics,” he stressed in an earlier 26-minute speech in the Assembly. “I will not use this terror attack to push for restoration of statehood. I do not believe in cheap politics.”A special one-day Assembly session held in Jammu on April 28 had passed a unanimous resolution condemning the attack and vowing to uphold peace and communal harmony.Abdullah’s move to bring governance physically closer to a wounded town marks a continuation of his earlier efforts. As CM during 2009–14, he had chaired cabinet meetings in far-flung areas like Gurez, Machil, Tangdhar, Rajouri and Poonch.
