Terror in Paradise - Kashmiri Perpetual Pain
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APRIL 2025
Pahalgam, a town often called the “Switzerland of India”, violence returned with ruthless precision. Twenty-six lives were lost in a senseless act of terror.
Among the dead were from all walks of life, like a naval officer, a tech professional, businessman, newly weds and Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a young Kashmiri Muslim who died shielding ‘Hindu’ tourists.
He was not a soldier, not in uniform, but in spirit, he stood as tall as any secular Indian would.
Interestingly, all killed were chosen to be men.
The killings have jolted the national conscience. This was not just another instance of bloodshed; it was a devastating strike at the soul of Kashmir, already burdened by decades of conflict, suspicion, and sorrow.
For a region that has been described as "heaven on Earth," Kashmir continues to suffer the pains of man-made hell.
Again and again.
Terror has cast its shadow on Kashmir for over three decades now.
According to the South Asia Terrorism Portal, more than 14,000 civilians have lost their lives in Jammu & Kashmir since 1989. Despite recent dips in terrorist incidents, dropping from 417 in 2018 to 229 in 2023, the violence has not vanished; it has merely mutated in form and timing.
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The killings have jolted the national conscience
This latest attack, coinciding with the diplomatic visit of U.S. Vice President JD Vance, evokes disturbing memories of past tragedies such as the 2000 Chittisinghpora massacre, when
President Clinton was visiting and the 2002 Kaluchak killings, during assistant secretary Christina Rocca’s visit.
There is a pattern in this violence.
These attacks are designed not only to spill blood but to shatter trust, derail democracy, and reignite fear among those who want to visit Kashmir.
Pahalgam: From Paradise to Prey
The tragedy of Pahalgam is not limited to the loss of life. Located in the Anantnag district, this picturesque valley sees lakhs of visitors each year, including pilgrims en-route to the Amarnath Yatra.
In 2024 alone, Jammu & Kashmir recorded over 2.3 crore (23 million) tourist arrivals, its highest ever.
Tourism, which contributes nearly 7% to the state’s GDP and provides livelihoods to tens of thousands, is once again under threat.
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Terror has cast its shadow on Kashmir for over three decades now
Hotel cancellations for the current tourism season and consequently local transport is the immediate casualty.
In a region where employment avenues remain limited, the tourism economy is not just a source of income, it is a lifeline.
And when fear replaces footfall, those families begin to starve.
But, the region has seen previous attacks on pilgrimage routes, including the Nuwan base camp in 2000 and Chandanwari in 2002.
Weaponization of Faith
Reports indicate the attackers identified victims by their religion before opening fire.
This was no random act, it was a targeted act of terror.
Such actions represent a dark and disturbing trend: the use of religion not as a path to spirituality or morality, but as a marker of targeting ethnic killing.
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And when fear replaces footfall, those families begin to starve
And while much of the blame has rightly been directed at cross-border terror networks, including the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba and alleged complicity of the ISI, India must also reckon with internal fault lines.
Rising communal tensions, mob lynchings, and a deepening of the Hindu-Muslim divide within our own borders create fertile ground for extremist narratives.
Terrorism does not grow in a vacuum; it feeds on injustice, complicity, and polarization, wherever it originates.
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Security and Surveillance?
This is not the first time India’s intelligence infrastructure has failed to pre-empt a terror strike of such magnitude.
The Pulwama attack in 2019 and the Uri assault in 2016 had already exposed serious gaps.
Yet, we find ourselves once again asking the same questions, mourning new victims, and reeling from a familiar sense of déjà vu.
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Some call Kashmir as ‘jugular vein’, others call it ‘strategic asset’
The irony is stark: Jammu and Kashmir is one of the most militarised regions in the world.
Estimates suggest that approximately 500,000 Indian security personnel are currently deployed across the Union Territory.
This vast presence includes around 168,000 Indian Army soldiers, stationed both along the Line of Control (LoC) and within the hinterland; nearly 160,000 personnel from the Central
Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) such as the CRPF, BSF, and ITBP; and approximately 100,000 officers and staff from the Jammu and Kashmir Police.
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Terrorism does not grow in a vacuum; it feeds on injustice, complicity, and polarization...
Given this formidable security architecture, the successful execution of a mass civilian massacre raises urgent and uncomfortable questions.
Is the problem rooted in intelligence gathering, lapses in coordination, or fatigue from years of high-stakes vigilance?
Was there an insider job to facilitate the terror attack?
Despite layers of surveillance, drone monitoring, and high-tech equipment, the attackers breached multiple lines of defence.
This not only signals operational shortcomings but also reflects a deeper structural challenge: protecting every inch of a conflict-ridden land is, perhaps, as much about winning hearts and minds as it is about boots on the ground.
A Political Drama Inflicting Pain
The perspective of the Pahalgam massacre cannot be disconnected from the political playground that Kashmir has long been subjected to.
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...Jammu and Kashmir is one of the most militarised regions in the world
The revocation of Article 370 in August 2019 was billed as a step toward integration and peace.
While it brought new laws and investments, it did little to resolve the deeper alienation that persists among Kashmir’s people.
There are conflicting narratives: New Delhi claims normalcy; the ground reality offers a more sobering picture.
High-speed internet was restored only in 2021, political leaders remain under surveillance, and independent journalism is often choked.
Meanwhile, though elections held, there still persist deep democratic deficit. The governance is partial, shared between state and central government.
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The India-Pakistan rivalry continues to cast a long shadow.
Despite intermittent attempts at dialogue, real breakthroughs remain elusive.
Trade remains suspended, diplomatic engagement is minimal, and trust virtually non-existent.
Some call Kashmir as ‘jugular vein’, others call it ‘strategic asset’.
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Was there an insider job to facilitate the terror attack?
Until this fundamental impasse is addressed through dialogue, confidence-building measures, and an honest reckoning with history, Kashmir will remain a pawn in a game of political chess, where civilians are always the first to fall.
The Indian state will likely respond with the familiar triad: condemnation, military reinforcement, and promises of justice.
These may offer temporary relief.
But a sustainable peace demands more than muscle, it requires imagination.
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Meanwhile, though elections held, there still persist deep democratic deficit
We need to reframe peace not just as the absence of violence but as the presence of justice, opportunity, and dialogue.
This means reactivating civil society in Kashmir, allowing dissenting voices, bringing education and investments, restoring full statehood of Kashmir and revival of democratic institutions, and opening backchannels for diplomacy with Islamabad.
Peace is not a policy event; it is a process. In case of Kashmir, the process will take decades to take effect, if it starts today.
The true test for India is not just whether it can prevent the next attack, but whether it can build a nation where such attacks no longer find space, ideologically, politically, or economically.
Until then, Kashmir will continue to haunt us, not just as a problem to be solved, but as our perpetual failure.
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