Gulmarg Mar, 05 (KNS): General officer commanding of Srinagar based 15 Corps, Lt. General D P Pandey on Saturday said that Army's calendar this season is full of events to ensure message of peace goes all across the world.
Talking to reporters on the sidelines of Gulmarg festival, Pandey said that as the summer is approaching, army is having sufficient events in pipeline so to ensure that people all across the globe will come to know that Kashmir is witnessing peace.
He said that army wants to make complete peace in the Kashmir Valley so that more and more tourists will throng the Valley and enjoy its natural beauty which will in turn help in generating livelihood and employment for locals.
"In the last two months, at least one lakh tourists arrived in the Valley and I am sure more tourists will come here and enjoy. Keeping in view the security situation, tourists are coming and helping in growing the economy here,” he added.
He said that the recruitment in millitancy has gone down as the people of the Valley have fully understood the tactics of the enemy. “The decline in the recruitment of militants indicates that Kashmir is witnessing peace,” Pandey said, adding that militants’ atrocities have also gone down.
Pandey also said that Gulmarg is the pride of Jammu & Kashmir, the most renowned tourist destination of the region and tourist arrival to Gulmarg was severely disrupted in the last two years on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The Gulmarg Festival is aimed at providing further impetus to tourism sector by promoting Gulmarg as winter sports destination, as well as showcasing a range of local talent across a spectrum of activities.”
He further said that the era of normalcy and all-round development in Jammu & Kashmir is amply evident in the revival of multifarious economic, social, cultural & tourist activities, most of which are led by women & girls.
“The Army continues to be a major & positive catalyst in encouraging and supporting a wide range of such initiatives & activities,” he added. (KNS)