Pankaj Ansal
On April 22, 2025, the tranquil valley of Pahalgam in Kashmir (India) was devastated by a brutal act of terrorism. Twenty-six Hindu tourists were murdered in what survivors describe as a coordinated, targeted assault—an act meant to intimidate, divide, and disrupt.
According to eyewitness accounts, the assailants separated Hindu men from their families, identifying their religion through names, forced recitations, and even invasive physical checks. This chilling pattern of violence echoes the threats issued to Kashmiri Pandits in 1990—“Raliv, Galiv, ya Chaliv” (“Convert, Leave, or Die”)—which led to the forced displacement of over 150,000 Kashmiri Pundits.
The Indian government stated the attack was orchestrated by Pakistan-based terrorist groups, including Lashkar-e-Taiba and its proxy, The Resistance Front. This would add to a long and painful history of cross-border terrorism enabled by Pakistan’s military and intelligence establishments.
A Threat to Peace and Progress
The Pahalgam massacre is not an isolated incident. It is a deliberate attempt to reverse the progress seen in Jammu and Kashmir in recent years. Since the abrogation of Article 370, the region has witnessed a remarkable revival. In 2024 alone, 2.36 crore tourists visited Kashmir— up from just 34.7 lakh in 2000. Young Kashmiris are increasingly turning away from violence and embracing opportunity.
For extremist groups and their state sponsors, Kashmir’s return to normalcy is threatening. So is the global support India continues to receive. Just days ago, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance visited India to strengthen diplomatic and trade ties. This attack, likely timed for maximum disruption, sought to reframe the Kashmir issue through bloodshed, not diplomacy.
The Global Dimension
Pakistan’s recent hosting of a Kashmir-focused conference in PoK was attended by Hamas spokesperson Khalid al-Khoudousi underscores growing ideological ties between South Asian and Middle Eastern jihadist movements. The tactical similarity between the Pahalgam attack and Hamas’s October 7 atrocities in Israel is deeply troubling.
This is no longer a regional matter. It is a global threat that demands a global response. The Punjab Unity Alliance calls on the international community to:
- Re-list Pakistan on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list until all terror infrastructure is dismantled.
- Pressure Pakistan’s military and intelligence agencies to end support for extremist proxies.
- Hold accountable those who perpetrate or enable cross-border terrorism.
We also urge Indian authorities to ensure the safety of all citizens and visitors, and to hold accountable any individuals or institutions responsible for security lapses in Pahalgam.
A Call for Unity and Accountability
Silence in the face of targeted religious violence only emboldens its perpetrators. We urge elected officials of Indian origin around the world—and all defenders of justice—to condemn this act in the strongest possible terms.
This is a defining moment. The world must choose between appeasement and accountability, between allowing terrorism to fester or, standing firmly against it.
The Pahalgam massacre must not be allowed to fade from memory. It must become a rallying cry—for justice, for security, and for peace.
(Punjab Unity Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to peace building and cultural unity with a focus on South Asia and the global Indian diaspora.)
Disclaimer: Views expressed are personal to the author.
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