Neelum Valley, nestled in northern Pakistan, has long been a magnet for tourists with its captivating natural allure, drawing around 300,000 visitors each summer. However, the looming threat of conflict with neighboring India has cast a shadow over this idyllic region, leading to a significant decline in the hospitality sector as hotels remain desolate.
Recently, tensions have sharply escalated between the two nuclear-armed neighbors following a violent incident in the Indian resort town of Pahalgam. Armed assailants took the lives of 26 individuals, leading to heightened diplomatic rifts, as India swiftly accused Pakistan of orchestrating the attack—a claim that Pakistan staunchly refutes.
The Neelum Valley’s proximity, less than 3 kilometers (1.8 miles) from the Line of Control, the unofficial yet tense border dividing the contested Kashmir territory, renders it especially susceptible to military confrontations. Rafaqat Hussain, a local hotel proprietor, expressed on Thursday the stark impact of the crisis on the tourism industry: “Most tourists have left and returned to their cities because there is a risk of war.”
In response to the increased tensions, Indian authorities have temporarily closed dozens of tourist resorts within their controlled section of Kashmir as a preventive measure. In contrast, no such directive has been issued by Pakistani authorities. Nonetheless, the markets in Chakothi, a Pakistani border town, remain open, albeit amid an atmosphere of apprehension and concern.
Shop owner Bashir Mughal voiced the collective hope for peace, acknowledging that civilians are the first to suffer in the event of war. “First of all, our prayer is for peace, as war always affects civilians first,” he stated, adding his readiness to support the military should hostilities erupt.
During times of significant cross-border tensions in the past, Pakistan helped locals construct bunkers near their homes for protection. However, with population growth, some residences now lack such shelters, raising fears of devastating casualties if conflict were to arise, Mughal cautioned.
Saiqa Naseer, another resident of Chakothi, is no stranger to the anxieties of living near this volatile border, having experienced repeated cross-border firing as a child. “Now, as a mother, I find myself facing the same fears,” she recollected. Her memories are marred by the intense period of conflict in 2019 when Indian shells landed in the scenic valley, forcing her to seek refuge in a personal bunker.
“If war comes, we will stay here. We won’t run away,” Naseer asserted, underscoring the resilience and resolve of the valley’s inhabitants in the face of potential conflict.