Former Army commanders have described the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam as a colossal failure of intelligence and preparedness. While Pakistan-sponsored terror in Jammu and Kashmir follows a troublingly familiar pattern, the assault in Baisaran represents a dangerous escalation. It raises critical questions: Why were no troops stationed in such a vulnerable region? What were the intelligence agencies doing? How did militants manage to breach the security apparatus so easily?
The Modi government has abrogated Article 370 and sought to reshape the narrative in Kashmir. But this attack, responsibility for which has been claimed by The Resistance Front, a proxy of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, underscores a bitter truth. It is no coincidence that the massacre occurred shortly after the U.S. approved the extradition of 26/11 accused Tahawwur Rana, amid escalating unrest in Pakistan, where the Baloch insurgency is intensifying and Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir continues with his anti-India rhetoric.
The brazenness of the Pahalgam attack — in an area considered relatively secure, with no prior intelligence warnings — has reignited public anger. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to cut short his foreign visit and Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to meet the injured underscore the gravity of the situation. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has proposed a “neutral, transparent, and credible” investigation into the attack — a hollow offer, given Islamabad’s consistent refusal to cooperate with India on past probes, including those related to Uri and Pulwama. There is a clear line between diplomacy and deceit. China’s silence in the wake of this tragedy, particularly as India and the U.S. draw closer, is telling. Beijing has yet to condemn the attack.
While India often responds to major terror attacks with diplomatic and security measures, a full-scale military retaliation is rarely pursued. Pakistan’s state complicity in terrorism demands unified international pressure on Islamabad.
Yet, despite the horror, the message from Baisaran may signal the beginning of a new chapter. As Tehelka’s Special Correspondent Riyaz Wani observed in his cover story “Kashmir at a Crossroads Again,” amid the gloom, there are glimmers of resilience and hope. Just a week after the attack, tourists — including foreigners — are once again enjoying Shikara rides on Srinagar’s Dal Lake, sharing peaceful scenes on social media. This swift return to normalcy highlights Kashmir’s deep yearning for peace and stability.
Kashmiris have united in condemning the atrocity, from political leaders like Omar Abdullah to the family of Syed Adil Hussain Shah, the brave pony-rider who heroically tried to disarm a terrorist and was shot dead. Their message to Pakistan is unequivocal: Stay out. Let Kashmir heal and chart its path forward.
One of the most poignant consequences of this unending conflict remains the plight of children born of cross-border marriages — caught in a no-man’s land, stranded between identities, politics, and pain. The people of Kashmir are mourning, but they are also speaking out — with clarity, courage, and compassion. That, perhaps, is the real message from Pahalgam.
