The Pahalgam terror atack

Time of India

02-05-2025

April 22, 2025 will be another black day in history of Kashmir when 26 tourists, including a foreigner and one native Kashmiri, were killed in a gruesome terror attack by terrorists owing allegiance to The Resistance Front (TRF), a terror outfit with links to other larger terror outfits like Lashkar e Taiba (LeT). The terrorists appeared well trained and had modern weapons with proper military gear which points towards involvement of Pakistan army as well. The site was well chosen as it about 6.5 km away from the nearest motorable road head and is surrounded by forests. The massacre lasted for about 10-15 minutes and carried out selective murder of mostly non-Muslims.
Were there any indications in last few days of any impending major terrorist activity in Kashmir? There were obviously no definite intelligence inputs for such an attack. But based on past experience, three different events happening simultaneously in this period should have alerted the authorities to increase vigilance in the valley.
First, the incendiary and anti-India speech by Pakistan's Army Chief on April 16, 2025 in Islamabad. It was aimed at raising passions and to revive the credibility of Pakistan's Army which currently is at an all-time low in the country. It could also be seen as a signal for the start of another proxy war against India, through Jihadi terror activities, to divert the nation's attention from the pathetic state of affairs on most fronts within the country. Second, the Vice-President of USA was on a visit to India from April 21, 25. One may recall a similar attack in Kashmir valley during President Bill Clinton's visit to India in 2000 and the 2020 Delhi communal riots during President Donald Trump's visit to India. Third, Prime Minister Modi was on a visit to Saudi Arabia from April 22-23, 2025. All these events, including the latest incident, were aimed at keeping the Kashmir issue alive and to embarrass the Modi government by highlighting communal discord.
There are many eye witness accounts that confirm how the terrorist checked the religion of those killed before shooting them. It leaves no doubts that the targets were non-Muslims. A lot of local Kashmiri Muslims have condemned the attack and have even come out on the streets to profess solidarity with the nation and those who have suffered. This is indeed welcome. The livelihood of majority of Kashmiris depends on tourists who flock the valley from April to October every year. This statement from Gulam Nabi, the president of local taxi stand in Pahalgam, as published in a leading English daily, sums it all, 'We are finished along with our families as everyone here lives off tourism. Those killed in the attack could be counted but what about us – we are as good as dead.'
A lot is being said and written about the lack of security planning and security personnel in the area. It may be prudent to assume that the security cover planning must be based on a security grid across Kashmir with more sensitive areas receiving greater resources. Baisaran valley, the site of massacre was perhaps on a lower priority in the grid. It is not clear who reported the incident and to whom. One would assume some of the local traders, restaurant owners or others must have called the police or some other authority. The fact that it took over two hand a half hours for security personnel to reach the site does indicate that such contact with authorities was somehow delayed. Ideally, one of the locals from the site should have called the police within minutes of the start of the shooting. While this would not have prevented the killings but it would certainly speeded up the arrival of help.
The government of India has already set the ball rolling as far as punitive actions against Pakistan are concerned. As expected, Pakistan has followed suit. But the real test for Indian authorities lies in identifying, capturing or killing the terrorist involved and the kind of military action that it may take, at some point of time, to send a clear message to Pakistan's army. The government was quick to call an all-party meeting in the capital. More importantly, it accepted that there was an intelligence failure. The Prime Minister cut short his visit to Saudi Arabia and returned early, once again an action that sends a correct message to all concerned. However, the absence of the Prime Minister from the meeting did not go well with the opposition as also some right-thinking citizens. In a national emergency like situation, the PM should have chaired the meeting instead of addressing a rally in Bihar.
The opposition's conduct in the aftermath of the attack has once again left a lot to be desired. Instead of standing with the government unequivocally, most are trying to score political brownie points. Many among them have not acknowledged the involvement of Pakistan and its army despite the government being very clear on it. Some have doubted the claims that only Hindus and non-Muslims were targeted despite many eye witness accounts confirming such selectivity including an eight-year-old child. This once again shows the insensitivity of many opposition leaders in such situations.
Kashmir, which for long was the hotbed of terror, has seen a welcome change in the recent times. Local support for terror has reduced, but is still not completely stopped. Authorities should find ways and means to identify and destroy such remaining support. Meanwhile, it is also important that the government, both state and central, should continue to build credibility and confidence among the locals. In the end, there are no shortcuts in this fight against terror and no quick solutions either.