Hurt Ishaan Khatter urges people not to focus on blind hatred, recalls visiting Pahalgam weeks before the terror attack

Hindustan Times

25-04-2025

Actor Ishaan Khatter has spoken out after the Pahalgam terror attack, urging Indians to remain united and not let hatred divide them along religious lines. Reflecting on his own experience, Ishaan shared that he had visited Pahalgam just weeks before the attack. Also read: Pakistani actor Mahira Khan condemns Pahalgam terrorist attack, calls it 'an act of mere cowardice'
Ishaan, who visited Pahalgam just two months ago to shoot for the music video of the song Pyaar Aata Hai with Tara Sutaria, took to Instagram to express his views.
Ishaan wrote, 'On a personal note, I'd like to say this. I was in Pahalgam barely 2 months ago. I have always felt a deep connection and love for Kashmir and have always found the people to be kind and helpful. I've met some beautiful souls there. My heart aches to imagine the loss that the victims of these awful attacks are facing'.
He added, 'Let's not forget Kashmir has long been damaged. A place that is often called heaven on earth is deeply wounded by acts like these and the lives of its people indelibly affected. We stand to be tested not for our politics, not for our religion but for our HUMANITY'.
The actor urged people not to get distracted by hate and focus on accounting for justice. He shared, 'Let's never forget and let's direct our collective anger towards accounting for JUSTICE and not blind hatred. Let's be what these pathetic assailants want us to forget we really are - Human beings, with sensitivity, reasoning and thoughtfulness'.
On April 22, terrorists gunned down 26 people, including tourists at Baisaran, a popular tourist spot in South Kashmir's Pahalgam known as 'Mini Switzerland'. It is considered one of the deadliest terror attacks in the region since the 2019 Pulwama bombing.
In its first retaliation, India announced punitive measures against Pakistan, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and downgrading diplomatic ties. India on Thursday announced revoking all visas issued to Pakistani nationals from April 27 and advised Indian nationals residing in Pakistan to return home at the earliest amid tensions between the two countries.