Anantnag (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], April 26 (ANI): Pahalgam Tourist pony stand President Rayess Ahmad Bhatt on Saturday condemned the horrific terrorist attack in the area, stating that the people of Kashmir do not want such incidents to occur.

Speaking to ANI, Bhatt said, 'We condemn the incident that took place here. We even held a big protest yesterday. We don't want such incidents to happen in Kashmir, because Kashmir is 99 per cent dependent on tourism. We get a livelihood when tourists come here. The entire population here is very upset.'

Bhatt is being hailed as the 'Hero of Pahalgam' for saving the lives of as many as five tourists during the attack. Without caring for his own safety, he rushed to help the injured tourists, who remained vulnerable, at the attack site in Baisaran Valley.

'If the attackers are still here, and we get killed too, so be it,' Bhat thought as he ventured out of his office alone to help the tourists stranded at the violence-affected site.

The attack in Pahalgam occurred on Tuesday at Baisaran meadow, where terrorists targeted tourists, killing 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen, and leaving several others injured. It was one of the deadliest attacks in the region since the 2019 Pulwama strike, which claimed the lives of 40 CRPF jawans.

Following the attack, the Central government has said that the terrorists responsible for the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam and the conspirators behind it will face severe punishment. Opposition parties have expressed their full support for the government in any action against perpetrators of the terror attack.

The central government has decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism and has closed the integrated Attari Check Post.

The central government has also revoked all categories of visas issued to Pakistani citizens, except long-term, diplomatic and official visas, with immediate effect from April 27. (ANI)