Kashmir Unites In Grief After Pahalgam Tragedy

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)
PTI photo

By Ikkz Ikbal

They came for the calm. For the smell of pine and the shimmer of Lidder's waters. They came as tourists, carrying cameras, snacks, and dreams. They left in ambulances and coffins.

The terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 innocent visitors wasn't just another headline for Kashmir. It was heartbreak. Deep, personal, and soul-crushing.

Because in Kashmir, a guest isn't just a visitor. A mehmaan is a blessing. A guest is someone you protect with your life, not someone whose life you take.

The valley is still in shock. Not just because the attack was so brutal, but because it happened in a place built on hospitality and healing. We're used to grief, but this one feels different. It struck at the very core of who we are.

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This wasn't just violence. It was an attack on our culture, our values, and our faith. Islam teaches us clearly:“Whoever kills an innocent person, it is as if he has killed all of humanity.” The people killed in Pahalgam were not targets. They were human beings, looking for a few days of peace.

And as horror unfolded on that quiet road, it wasn't officials or agencies who reached first. It was Kashmiris.

Locals ran toward the carnage spot. They pulled the wounded from bloodied meadow, carried them in their arms, used shawls as bandages, and taxis as makeshift ambulances. They didn't wait for instructions. They acted from instinct, and that instinct was humanity.

This is the Kashmir the world rarely sees. A place where strangers are family, where pain is shared, and where the first reaction to tragedy is to help, not to hide.

Of course the attack is condemnable. But saying that alone is not enough. Condemnation without action is just noise. What we need, urgently and unequivocally, is justice. Find those responsible. Hold them accountable. And don't let their motives, whatever they claim them to be, become excuses.

Let's also stop talking about hotel bookings and business losses while parents are still collecting the last photos of their lost ones. This isn't about economics. It's about lives. About people who came to see the best of us and instead saw the worst nightmare.

But even in our grief, we must choose who we want to be.

Kashmiris should open their homes. Offer food, water, and shelter to any stranded tourist. Don't hesitate. Do it because it's right. Because that's who we are.

This is our chance to push back against the darkness. Not with violence, but with love. With insaniyat. With actions that speak louder than hate ever can.

Let the world see that while terror may strike without warning, humanity responds without pause.

Let the world know this: we did not choose this tragedy, but we choose our response. And our response is to mourn with dignity, to rise with courage, and to never, ever forget the ones we lost.

They were not just tourists. They were our mehmaans. And now, they are part of our memory forever.

• Ikkz Ikbal has is Principal at Maryam Memorial Institute Pandithpora Qaziabad. He posts @IkkzIkbal.

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