On 22nd April in Pahalgam—one of Kashmir’s most cherished tourist destinations—extraordinary horror unfolded. Twenty-six innocent tourists, many of them visiting for the first time to experience the famed beauty and hospitality of the Valley, were brutally murdered in a terrorist attack that has left the nation stunned and hearts shattered. Yet, as the blood was still wet on the streets and cries of the injured echoed through pine forests, something equally powerful was taking place—a counter-narrative of hope, humanity, and unparalleled courage.
A Massacre with a Chilling Intent
Eyewitnesses have confirmed what many now fear: the terrorists singled out their victims by asking about their religion. What should have remained a haven of natural beauty and cultural warmth was turned into a theater of hate. But this wasn’t just an attack on people—it was an assault on the very idea of India and Kashmiriyat. It was a calculated attempt to fracture the bonds between Kashmir and the rest of the country, to pit communities against each other, to once again drag the Valley into the abyss of fear and mistrust. That such barbarity can be justified by ideology is an insult to every faith and every human conscience.
What happened in Pahalgam is not just an attack on innocent tourists — it’s an attack on the very soul of Kashmir. Those who raise their hands against our guests are not protectors of any cause — they are enemies of Kashmir, enemies of peace, and enemies of humanity. Tourists come here because they love the beauty, the culture, and the warmth that Kashmir has always stood for. Hurting them is like hurting our own identity. Let it be loud and clear: the people who carried out this cowardly act do not represent Kashmir. The real Kashmiriyat is about hospitality, harmony, and respect — not violence.
Where Was the State?
As we grieve the dead and comfort the wounded, we must also ask: Where was the state? How could 26 people be gunned down in a supposedly secure zone teeming with security personnel, with checkpoints at every few kilometers and drones flying overhead? In the name of peace, government of India has declared “normalcy” in Kashmir prematurely. Tourists are invited, festivals are held, and photo ops are arranged. But beneath the surface, militancy continues to mutate, reorganize, and plan. This attack exposes glaring lapses. How did the attackers breach security without interception? Why were intelligence agencies unable to detect such a coordinated plan? What preventive protocols were ignored in a high-tourist-density region? Accountability cannot be swept under the rug. We owe it to those who died and those who live in fear.
The Bravery of Kashmiri Muslims
Amid this carnage, one voice rose—not in anger, but in defiance. Syed Adil Shah, a young Kashmiri local horse-rider, dared to confront the gunmen as they tried to execute their twisted plan. Witnesses say he shouted, “Why are you killing innocent tourists? What did they do to you?” It was not a cry of politics. It was a scream of conscience - a moment where truth, even when surrounded by barrels of guns, refused to be silenced. Shah, the lone breadwinner in his family, was gunned down, but his courage must be remembered. He stood as the soul of a Kashmir that refuses to be represented by violence. As the attack unfolded, several Kashmiri Muslims—local horsemen, vendors, and villagers—rushed toward the gunfire, not away from it. Eyewitness accounts tell of how men carried injured tourists on their backs through forests and down ravines, evading bullets and danger just to save a life. Taxi drivers turned their vehicles into ambulances. Elderly women opened their homes, gave tea and water, and comforted children whose parents were gunned down before their eyes. At nearby hospitals, the doctors worked beyond exhaustion. Muslim nurses sat with Hindu children. Kashmiri Muslims donated blood. No one asked for names. No one asked for religion. Candle light marches and bunds were staged to protest against the barbaric act of terrorism. This is the Kashmir you won’t always see on your television screen.
A Divisive & False Narrative
Mainstream media was quick to label this as a “religion-based killing,” and presented it in a dangerously divisive frame. The attack was a hate crime, no doubt. But it was also an attempt to inflame passions across India. What the headlines ignored was the resistance by local Kashmiris. The media chose not to amplify stories of Muslim locals who saved Hindu tourists, who wept with them, who carried them, who bled with them. This deliberate omission strengthens the very forces the terrorists serve: division and hatred. Let’s be clear. What happened in Pahalgam was an act of terror, not by a religion, not by a people, but by those who have long sought to hijack the Valley’s narrative for blood-soaked agendas.
A Message to the Nation
In Pahalgam’s darkest hour, a light flickered—not from the state, nor the cameras, but from its people. It came from the valley dwellers who rose not just for their guests, but for the sake of humanity. Let Pahalgam not fade into another tragic footnote. Let it stand as a turning point—a reminder that every land, every faith, holds within it both cruelty and compassion. What we choose to amplify will define us. We must mourn the dead. We must demand accountability. We must rebuild security. But above all, we must protect the truth. We must celebrate the courage of Syed Adil Shah and honour the nameless Kashmiris who carried the wounded, opened their homes, and chose love over fear. In a valley of tears, we witnessed a flood of courage. May it never dry?
Email:------------------------hamidrather111@gmail.com
