It was a year that people wanted to forget. From the deadly Pahalgam terror attack to Operation Sindoor and from floods to farmer distress, Kashmir saw many upheavals in 2025. The year started on a high note as Kashmir hosted a record number of tourists. Come April 22, everything came crashing down. A terror attack in Pahalgam left Kashmir reeling. Twenty-six people, most of them tourists, were brutally gunned down in Baisaran Valley. Before April 22, the valley was bursting at the seams with tourists. Over 5.25 lakh tourists had visited the valley in the first three months of 2025. These include 5,14,845 domestic and 10,427 foreign tourists. A record 2.35 crore tourists visited Jammu and Kashmir in 2024. Domestic tourist numbers shot up tenfold, from 25.19 lakh in 2020 to 2.35 crore in 2024. On May 7, India launched Operation Sindoor and destroyed nine major terror launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, targeting Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, and Hizbul Mujahideen facilities. Over 100 terrorists were killed in action. India redefined the rules of engagement, striking deep into Pakistan’s heartland, including Punjab province and Bahawalpur, once considered out of bounds even for US drones. India made it clear: neither the LoC nor Pakistani territory will remain untouched if terror originates from there. Three days later, on May 10, the Director General of Military Operations of Pakistan approached his Indian counterpart to request for cessation of firing and military activities, which was agreed to later that day. Earlier, on April 23, India suspended the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, sending a clear message that water and blood cannot flow together. Even before people could recover from the terror attack, floods wreaked havoc on Jammu and Kashmir. Roads, infrastructure, agriculture, houses, etc. suffered huge damage. Jammu division suffered the most. Over 150 people were killed, and 178 others were injured in the Jammu division alone. Around 33 people are still missing, with Kishtwar recording the highest casualties. More than 4,200 homes were fully damaged, and over 8,600 were partially damaged. Udhampur and Jammu were the worst hit. Livestock losses stood at 1,455, and crops over 1,300 hectares were damaged. The prolonged highway closure caused huge financial losses to apple farmers. The Centre operated special goods trains to ferry apples to outside markets to provide some respite to farmers. On the political front, Omar Abdullah’s National Conference lost both seats in the by-election. There were also some positives. Kashmir train finally saw the light of day. Peaceful Amarnath Yatra silenced the critics who were questioning Kashmir’s security situation. Yet, 2025 will continue to haunt the people and policymakers. The government needs to learn from mistakes and start afresh. People want some respite. Our business is in doldrums, tourism is facing a crisis, and unemployment is taking its toll. The government needs to think out of the box and resolve these issues as a priority in 2026. Happy New Year!
Adieu 2025!
