Massacre at Pahalgam & Beyond

ALOK K SHRIVASTAVA

Fifteen major terrorist attacks, resulting in the deaths of nearly 200 people since 2015, have shaken the exotic, serene, and unforgettable region of Jammu & Kashmir. According to one source, ten major attacks have occurred since March 2021. Another source suggests this number may be higher. In the last two months alone, 71 army personnel have lost their lives. Commonly targeted places include Amarnath, Kathua, Pampore, Nagrota, Sunjawan, Poonch, Rajouri, Reasi, Anantnag, Uri, Baramulla, Pulwama, Srinagar, Kargil, and Pahalgam.

One may ask: in the face of claims of normalcy and mind-boggling public expenditure, if such incidents are still occurring—and even multiplying—how do we justify our current trajectory?

Is this also a case of intelligence failure and lack of coordination between the state and the Centre?

Following each such sacrilege, a manhunt is launched. Sometimes it results in arrests; sometimes it proves futile. Some actions only seem to prolong the crisis.

Most often, persons from minority communities become soft targets. At times, CRPF or Defence personnel are attacked.

Pahalgam Incident

The latest attack in Baisaran Valley—a picturesque meadow located 6.5 km from Pahalgam—resulted in the brutal killing of 28 tourists and left 17 seriously injured. Of the deceased, six were from Maharashtra, three from Gujarat, and two from Karnataka. The rest hailed from Madhya Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Kerala, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh. This reflects that people from nearly all Indian states are visiting J&K. However, even after a week, the list of the 17 injured has not been disclosed. Is such secrecy desirable?

The attackers—reportedly four to five in number—emerged from the dense forest, wearing uniforms and armed with M4 carbine rifles and AK-47s. They asked tourists for their names before firing. While most of the victims were Hindus, a brave Muslim and a Christian also lost their lives.

Clad in camouflage outfits, the terrorists held the area hostage for about twenty minutes. Between 50 to 70 used cartridges were later recovered from the site. Technical intelligence, credible inputs, and eyewitness accounts have confirmed Pakistani links.

Twelve victims had head injuries. Three cousins were shot in the stomach, head, and chest in front of their family. A 65-year-old tourist from Kochi was killed while riding a horse, with his daughter watching. Screams and gunfire engulfed the meadow.

The entire tourism sector has been affected: tour operators, taxi drivers, shikara owners, and hotel staff alike.

Between 1,000 and 1,500 tourists were in the area when the incident occurred.

Upon arrival, the terrorists held tourists at gunpoint and asked women and children to step aside. They began firing at close range after identifying their targets. Prima facie, it appears the terrorists crossed over from Kishtwar and reached Baisaran via Kokernag. 

Impact of the Attack

The immediate aftermath saw a mass exodus of tourists, rushing to catch flights or trains back home. Popular destinations such as Srinagar, Gulmarg, Patnitop, and Vaishno Devi witnessed a sharp drop in footfall. Massive protests and shutdowns followed.

For the first time in three decades, a militant attack triggered public outrage on such a scale. A tourism industry leader remarked that these protests were essential to show terrorists that their violence will not be tolerated. Livelihoods aside, silence would be a sin. Many auto drivers provided free rides to stranded tourists to Srinagar airport. A shikara owner offered fresh fruits to returning visitors on Dal Lake. Such gestures would have been unthinkable a decade ago.

Reaction of Pakistan

While Pakistan has denied any involvement, India has pointed to clear cross-border links. "We have absolutely nothing to do with it. We reject terrorism in all its forms and everywhere," said Khwaja Asif, Pakistan’s Defence Minister. But if Pakistan is uninvolved, why is the Pakistani army shifting terror camps from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir?

Pakistan has also closed its airspace to India, disrupting Air India and Indigo flights and causing losses worth hundreds of crores.

Global Support

The international community appears to be rallying behind India. Expressions of solidarity and unequivocal condemnation of the attack have strengthened India's case. However, support from some Islamic nations should be taken with a pinch of salt. Envoys from 25 countries have been briefed on the Pahalgam incident.

What Led to the Attack?

The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow group of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has claimed responsibility. The attack may have been triggered by:

• The successful conduct of recent elections in J&K
• The state’s steady progress toward economic development
• The extradition of Tahawwur Hussain Rana
• The impending Amarnath Yatra
• The upcoming visit of U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance to India 

Steps Taken by India

Following a Cabinet Committee on Security meeting, several decisions were made:

• Indus Water Treaty (1960) put on hold
• Attari Integrated Check Post shut down
• SAARC visa arrangements for Pakistanis suspended
• Military advisors in Pakistan High Commission asked to leave
• Pakistani nationals ordered to leave India within 48 hours
• Diplomatic staff to be scaled down from 55 to 30
• Reciprocal recall of diplomatic staff from respective missions

The suspension of the Indus Water Treaty is a long-term initiative. Shutting down the Attari post will bring trade losses, especially with Afghanistan. Pistachio prices have already risen by 20%.

Identifying and deporting Pakistani nationals will be difficult; the 48-hour deadline seems unrealistic. Only 537 Pakistani nationals have left so far, while 850 Indians, including 14 diplomats, have returned from Pakistan.

Scaling down diplomatic staff is feasible—it has been done in the past.

Army and Navy on Alert

As a pre-emptive measure, the Indian Army has launched exercises in central India to ensure combat readiness. The Navy is also conducting anti-ship missile tests to enhance maritime security. Villagers along the international border are being sensitized to a potential conflict.

Need for Coordination and Restraint

Coordination between the Centre and the state must improve. The absence of the J&K Chief Minister from the crucial meeting chaired by the Home Minister in Srinagar on April 23 was unwarranted.

Lastly, political point-scoring during national tragedies must be avoided. The Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra should not have competed for credit in repatriating the state’s deceased and injured.

Symbolic actions are inadequate at this critical juncture. What is needed are bold, visible steps that ensure lasting impact.