A deadly attack at a popular tourist spot in the Pahalgam region of India's Jammu and Kashmir territory last week has left the local youth, already struggling with high unemployment in a volatile region, concerned about their livelihood and future.
Twenty-six people died when suspected militants opened fire in the Baisaran valley — the worst such attack in the country in nearly two decades. The region is claimed by both India and Pakistan, and in 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government revoked Kashmir's semi-autonomous status — a move strongly objected by Pakistan.
Abid Hussain Mir, who took to selling SIM cards for a living when he struggled to find a job after graduating in commerce in 2020, said the incident had already hit his income as tourists fled and stayed away.
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