The filing of charge sheets against six accused, including separatist leader Shabir Ahmad Shah, in connection with the 1996 Srinagar violence is another reminder that time does not erase accountability. Courts will determine individual guilt or innocence based on evidence, but the larger truth is beyond dispute: decades of violence, separatist politics and terrorism inflicted enormous suffering on Jammu and Kashmir and its people. For far too long, those who romanticised unrest wrapped themselves in the language of "cause" and "resistance" while ordinary Kashmiris paid the price. Families lost loved ones, children lost their futures, businesses collapsed, tourism suffered, education was repeatedly disrupted and generations grew up amid fear and uncertainty. The real victims were never the leaders who gave speeches; they were the common people struggling to survive. The culture of shutdowns, intimidation and violence did not empower Kashmir—it weakened it. It discouraged investment, drove away visitors, delayed development and left countless young people with fewer opportunities. Every bomb blast, every targeted killing and every episode of street violence pushed the region further away from prosperity. History should distinguish between those who built institutions and those whose actions or advocacy, if proven unlawful, contributed to instability. Political slogans cannot compensate for the economic losses, psychological trauma and social divisions that scarred the Valley for decades. Kashmir's greatest strength has always been its people, culture and resilience—not conflict. The legal process must now take its course fairly, transparently and without prejudice. Filing a charge sheet is not a conviction, and every accused is entitled to due process under the law. Equally, victims and their families deserve justice that is impartial and evidence-based, regardless of how much time has passed. The Valley today is seeking a different future—one defined by education, entrepreneurship, tourism, investment and opportunity. Young Kashmiris increasingly aspire to careers, innovation and global engagement rather than being trapped in cycles of confrontation. That aspiration deserves every possible encouragement.There should be no glorification of violence or those who encouraged it. Lasting respect is earned by creating hope, protecting lives and strengthening society—not by leaving behind a legacy of fear and destruction. Kashmir's future belongs to those who build schools instead of barricades, businesses instead of blockades, and bridges instead of divisions. The lesson from the past is unmistakable: violence has no winners. It consumed lives, fractured communities and delayed progress for an entire generation. Accountability through the rule of law, combined with sustained peace and development, offers the only meaningful path forward. Kashmir has already paid too high a price for conflict. Its future must never again be held hostage to the politics of unrest.