SRINAGAR: Year 2017 began in Kashmir with a hope of better times as the year 2016 had witnessed huge bloodbath post killing of militant commander Burhan Wani. Burnt houses, wailing mothers and sisters, angry protests, dead bodies, pellet victims were the dominating images of Kashmir in year 2017.Rage and anger was the pulse on ground with South Kashmir bearing the hardest brunt of the conflict.
Much to disappointment of many the tourism industry in Kashmir witnessed total gloom on account of very low flow of tourists to Kashmir due to uncertain situation in year 2017. Concerned voices in 2017 again expressed dissatisfaction over the fact that the State and government doesn't want to learn from its past mistakes that brute use of force and impunity to the alleged perpetrators of human rights violations that include the men in uniform doesn't help in making Kashmiris submissive by assassinating their genuine political aspirations.
Shabir Ahmad , a political analyst stated - " The year 2017 did not bring any relief to the pain hit valley of Kashmir and with more human killings on account of lingering political conflict the situation turned from bad to worse .The tremendous amount of bloodshed and turbulence witnessed in 2016 had given one hope that 2017 might be somewhat peaceful but contrary to that it turned again a year which caused much death and destruction in Kashmir .In 2018 we should try to acknowledge the fact that no amount of bloodshed and killings would solve Kashmir question but accepting the people's democratic aspirations."
Kashmiris are hoping against hope that year 2018 will bring some better times to Kashmir and long winter of sufferings and sorrows in Kashmir will now finally witness some summer of peace and happiness.