“It is heartbreaking to see the exodus of our guests from the valley after the tragic terrorist attack of yesterday in Pahalgam, but at the same time, we fully understand why people would like to leave,” Abdullah said in a statement.
The Director General of Civil Aviation of India, Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, published a letter which called on airlines to “take rapid measures to increase the number of flights … facilitating the evacuation of tourists”.
Air India said on Wednesday that it had laid additional flights “given the dominant situation”.
Tourist Paras Sawla, from the financial center of India Mumbai, said that many visitors were “afraid” after the attack.
He was trying to get the first return flight he could.
But the saddest part, he said, was that the ordinary cashmere people, famous for their hospitality, did everything they could to help.
“We are not afraid of the public here,” said Sawla. “They are very favorable, helping with everything we need.”
