In a grim echo of past terror tactics, over 30 innocent tourists were brutally killed in a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, coinciding with the official visit of US Vice President JD Vance to India. The coordinated assault has left 21 others injured, with three in critical condition, sparking fresh concerns about the volatile security situation in the region.
The attack has raised significant questions about Pakistan’s proxy strategy—a pattern that has long haunted Indo-US diplomatic engagements. Notably, this tragedy mirrors the 2006 Kulhand massacre in Doda, when terrorists, reportedly backed by Pakistan, killed 32 civilians during President Bill Clinton’s visit to the subcontinent. The mastermind behind that attack, Saifullah alias Dr, was later eliminated by Indian forces, but the ideology that fuels such atrocities continues unabated.
This time, the target was not only peace but also India’s global engagement. With VP Vance in India, the terrorists’ motive appears to be loud and clear: to undermine the narrative of normalcy and progress in Jammu and Kashmir. It is a stark message intended for the world—that the region remains unstable, and that those who seek development and international partnerships must tread cautiously.
In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has spoken with the Home Minister, who is set to visit Srinagar tomorrow. Security forces have been mobilised, and there is growing demand across the country to allow the armed forces operational freedom to track down and eliminate those behind this heinous crime.
There is also a rising chorus urging foreign dignitaries and VVIPs to defer visits to sensitive zones temporarily, lest precious security resources be diverted from counter-terror operations towards protocol arrangements. The priority, many argue, should be to neutralise threats rather than shield guests from them.
The true face of terrorism in the Valley has once again been exposed. These actors thrive on chaos, not peace; they fear prosperity more than bullets. But as history has shown, their violence will be met with resolve. The Indian Army, with public support, is expected to respond with precision and strength.
As global attention turns once again to Kashmir, it is crucial that the international community recognises these attacks for what they are—acts of calculated geopolitical messaging through terror, not random violence. The world must stand with India, not just in condemnation, but in dismantling the infrastructure of terrorism across the border.
