The serene Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir, often called “mini-Switzerland” for its breathtaking beauty, turned into a site of unimaginable horror, a militant group left 26 people dead, including 25 Indian tourists and one Nepali citizen, with one Kashmiri Muslim man killed while attempting to intervene. This brutal assault, one of the deadliest on civilians in the region in decades, has not only shattered lives but also ignited a wave of collective punishment against Kashmiris, exacerbating longstanding grievances and exposing deep-seated injustices. A Targeted AtrocityThe attack unfolded in broad daylight, as gunmen emerged from nearby forests and opened fire on tourists enjoying the picturesque valley. The attack, condemned globally by figures like UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the UN Security Council, has heightened tensions between India and Pakistan, with India blaming Pakistan for supporting militancya charge Pakistan denies.The Indian government swiftly responded, suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, downgrading diplomatic ties with Pakistan, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to pursue the terrorists “to the ends of the earth,” signaling a hardline stance. On the other hand Collective PunishmentA Cycle of InjusticeWhile the Indian government’s resolve to combat terrorism is understandable, the response has veered into a troubling pattern of collective punishment that unfairly targets Kashmiris. Across India, Kashmiri students and residents have faced harassment, heckling, and threats from far-right Hindu groups and even classmates, with social media amplifying anti-Kashmiri and anti-Muslim rhetoric. This echoes the backlash after the 2019 Pulwama attack, when Kashmiri students were beaten and forced to flee cities like Dehradun. In Kashmir itself, the demolition of homesoften without due processhas sparked outrage. Reports suggest that dozens of houses, including those of innocent civilians, have been destroyed alongside those of suspected militants. One X post highlighted the case of a Kashmiri man whose home was “blown to pieces” despite no connection to the attack, forcing terrified families to flee with nothing. Such actions, justified as counterterrorism measures, risk alienating the very population needed to build peace. Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, while condemning the attack, cautioned against “misplaced action that alienates people,” urging that only the guilty be punished.The region’s heavy militarization, already one of the highest in the world, has intensified. Tens of thousands of troops and police have been deployed, with additional checkpoints strangling daily life.
“The voices of Kashmiris those who condemned the attack and seek a future free from violence must be amplified, not drowned out by vengeance. The Pahalgam massacre is a tragic reminder of Kashmir’s unresolved conflict. Punishing an entire community for the sins of a few is not just an injustice; it is a betrayal of the very humanity that binds us. As the world watches, the path to healing lies in distinguishing between the guilty and the innocent, and in building a future where Kashmir’s meadows are once again places of beauty, not bloodshed.”
Businesses and shops have shuttered in protest, and tourism, a lifeline for Kashmir’s economy, has collapsed. In 2024, 3.5 million tourists visited Kashmir, but Pahalgam is now a ghost town. .A Rare Social Shift Amidst Repression Remarkably, the Pahalgam killings prompted unprecedented mass protests by Kashmiris against the violence, a “first of its kind in the last 78 years. These protests, described as a “monumental social shift,” reflect a rejection of violence by a society once divided by militancy. Kashmiris, including former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, expressed shame and solidarity with the victims, with locals chanting, “Tourists are our lives.” Yet, this organic outpouring of support risks being undermined by heavy-handed policies.And this collective punishment could “derail progress” in Kashmir, a region scarred by decades of conflict. Since the revocation of Kashmir’s autonomy in 2019, human rights groups have documented arbitrary detentions, extrajudicial killings, and the silencing of activists, lawyers, and politicians. The Pahalgam attack has shattered the Indian government’s narrative of restored normalcy, exposing the fragility of peace in a region where 83,742 Indians were granted domicile rights in the last two years alone, fueling local fears of demographic change.Justice, Not VengeanceThe Pahalgam killings demand justice for the victims and accountability for the perpetrators. However, justice cannot come at the cost of further marginalizing an entire community. Collective punishmentwhether through home demolitions, harassment, or economic strangulationonly deepens resentment and fuels the cycle of violence. The bravery of the Kashmiri Muslim man who died trying to stop the attackers and the mass protests against the killings demonstrate a desire for peace that must be nurtured, not crushed.India must pursue a targeted, evidence-based approach to counterterrorism, ensuring due process and avoiding actions that penalize the innocent. Internationally, calls for a neutral investigation. Above all, the voices of Kashmiris those who condemned the attack and seek a future free from violence must be amplified, not drowned out by vengeance. The Pahalgam massacre is a tragic reminder of Kashmir’s unresolved conflict. Punishing an entire community for the sins of a few is not just an injustice; it is a betrayal of the very humanity that binds us. As the world watches, the path to healing lies in distinguishing between the guilty and the innocent, and in building a future where Kashmir’s meadows are once again places of beauty, not bloodshed.
(The author a freelancer is a lawyer by profession. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
Sajad Paul
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