By carrying out the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 civilians, mostly tourists, dead, Pakistan made a desperate attempt to break the backbone of Kashmir’s economy. It was a direct assault on the tourism industry of the Valley, which has flourished since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

The attackers had sinister designs; they wanted to hit the tourism industry hard and trigger communal clashes in the country. However, they didn’t succeed in their nefarious intentions, as the people of Kashmir, for the first time in three decades, staged protests against Pakistan and the terrorists sponsored by it. These spontaneous protests reflected a larger transformation underway in the region. The youth of Kashmir, who are more focused on jobs, education, and entrepreneurship, now see peace as essential for progress. The response of the people sent a clear message—not just to Pakistan, but to the world—that Kashmiris want to be part of India’s growth story, not victims of its conflict history. Pakistan tried to strike at Kashmir’s backbone. Instead, it ended up strengthening its spine.

On the other hand, at the........

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