Pahalgam terror attack | ‘Sin to stay silent’: Srinagar to Jammu, towns shut down, people turn out in solidarity, protest attack
From Pahalgam to Srinagar in Kashmir, and Kishtwar to Doda in Jammu, massive protests and shutdowns were observed Wednesday, marking the first time in three decades that militant killings have triggered outrage on such a scale.
JAMMU, PAHALGAM, SRINAGAR—It’s a sin to stay silent; those who come to enjoy with their families should not have to return in a coffin; all of Kashmir is speaking in one voice, rejecting violence.
A day after the terror attack that killed 26 civilians in Pahalgam, the chorus from the ground in Jammu and Kashmir is loud and clear.
From Pahalgam to Srinagar in Kashmir, and Kishtwar to Doda in Jammu, massive protests and shutdowns were observed Wednesday, marking the first time in three decades that militant killings have triggered outrage on such a scale.
In Pahalgam, around 800 people — many of them from the tourism and hospitality industry — observed a total shutdown and took to the streets holding placards condemning the killings. “We want to tell the world and the attackers that we stand with the tourists,” Mushtaq Ahmad, president of the Pahalgam Hoteliers and Guesthouses Association, told The Indian Express. “The protests were necessary to tell the attackers that such attacks can’t be tolerated. It is not that our livelihood has been hit, we can have other means, but it’s a sin to stay silent.”
In Srinagar, the Ghanta Ghar (clock tower) in Lal Chowk became the focal point of protests as politicians, traders and civil society members converged to collectively condemn the attack. Demonstrations and vigils were held in different parts of the city Wednesday evening — including one outside Srinagar’s Jamia Masjid at Nowhatta — with local residents carrying placards and candles.
“All of Kashmir is speaking in one voice today. We reject this violence,” said a shopkeeper in Nowhatta. “Everyone here understands that those who have perpetrated this attack are against humanity and Kashmiris.”
Political parties such as the ruling National Conference, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, and the Congress, protested outside their party offices, with marches ending at Ghanta Ghar. The BJP held a protest march at the party headquarters in Jawahar Nagar.
The protests at Lal Chowk were joined by the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry as well, even as black flags were raised at Makkah Market. As the attacks triggered an exodus of tourists, members from different hoteliers’ associations in Kashmir urged people not to cancel their Valley visit.
A silent march by members of the civil society took place at Abdullah Bridge in Srinagar, where several women gathered in solidarity with the victims’ families. “It is terrible that unarmed civilians bear the brunt of situations and policies that they have no control over,” said Amna Ali, a Rajbagh resident, on the sidelines of the protest. “A person who chooses to come here to have a few moments of joy with their families should not have to go back in a coffin.”
Protests were held across the Jammu region, too, by people cutting across religious and political lines. At 3.30 pm, employees of the J&K government and Public Sector Undertakings across the region marked two minutes of silence in respect and solidarity. In the Muslim-dominated areas of Kishtwar and Doda, protesters held demonstrations to demand “strictest action” against the attackers.
In a post on X, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called the attack “barbaric and senseless act of brutality”, saying it had “no place in our society”.
“We condemn it in the strongest possible terms. We mourn the precious lives lost. No amount of money can ever compensate for the loss of loved ones, but as a mark of support and solidarity, the J&K Government announces an ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh* each for the families of the deceased, Rs 2 lakh for those seriously injured and Rs 1 lakh for those with minor injuries,” he said, adding that arrangements for the transport of victims back to their homes have been made.
Photo on front page: A crowd at a funeral procession for a protester killed during recent unrest in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in 2024. Source: Sajjad Qayyum/AFP. Photo on this page: Shutdown in Srinagar to protest the terror attack. Source: Shuaib Masoodi/Indian Express.
* 1 lakh = 10,000
| Themes |
| • Accompanying social processes • Armed / ethnic conflict • Ethnic • National • People under occupation • Public policies • Regional • Religious |
