Kashmir: Hope and fear as tourists trickle back to Pahalgam after attack

The escalation in tensions means it could be years before tourism and businesses thrive again in Kashmir.

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The main high street, abandoned by visitors last week - with shops shuttered and hotels completely emptied out - is seeing fleeting signs of life again.

Last Tuesday, militants opened fire on people, mostly tourists, who were visiting Baisaran, a mountain-top meadow three miles (5 km) from Pahalgam, often described as the "Switzerland of India".

The attack was one of the deadliest in recent years, devastating the lives of many families and sparking widespread anger in India.

In the days since, tensions between India and Pakistan, which both claim Kashmir in full but administer it only in part, have significantly risen, with each side announcing retaliatory measures against the other.