By 
Anjana Sathy
A brutal attack on April 22nd in South Kashmir’s Pahalgam left 26 tourists dead, reigniting tensions in the India-Pakistan dispute over Kashmir. As gunmen targeted victims, the nation mourns and eyes now turn to India’s next move.
The state of Jammu and Kashmir in India has been the hub of unrest since post-independence. With cross-border terrorism being a common occurrence amidst lush natural beauty relying on tourism and yearning for peace, the India-Pakistan border skirmishes are galore in this northernmost state of India. However, the border dispute is just an underlying thread to life in the Kashmir valley – religious tensions, political grandstanding, and internal security issues all play into the Kashmiri quest for identity.
Tuesday 22nd April, saw a gunman fire on tourists in South Kashmir’s Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination at its peak tourism season, leaving at least 26 people dead, ten injured, and a whole nation enraged and heartbroken. Despite a region that has seen even anti-India rebellion for over three decades, this has been the worst assault on civilians in recent years.
Reports say that at 2:45pm, camouflaged armed men emerged from a nearby wooded area and opened fire at a scenic meadow accessible only by foot. Witnesses say that gunmen asked for information about their religion – asked for their identification, told them to recite a Muslim prayer, and the men were even asked to pull down their pants to check if they we Muslim – non-Muslims were then shot.
Why is this renewing fears of an escalation in India-Pakistan tensions? This dispute over Kashmir has been a pre-independence issue. With later changes in territorial control, parts of Kashmir have also been designated as Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK), the exact demarcation of which are also constantly under fire. However, with this latest attack indiscriminately targeting civilians, India could take several crucial steps in response to this so-called ‘act of war’. The Resistance Front (TRF) which is believed to be an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, a Pakistan-based terrorist outfit has already claimed responsibility for the attack. The attack also comes at an especially sensitive time as the country is hosting the Vice President of USA, JD Vance, whilst the Indian Prime Minister was away on a visit to Saudi Arabia. The religious connotation to the attack has added fuel to the fire.
Experts are of the view that India could engage in some form of retaliation against Pakistan for this horrific attack against its civilians. While the Pakistan Foreign Ministry has expressed its condolences. With both India and Pakistan controlling parts of Kashmir, the fight rages on; with all eyes now on India to see how they respond.
Sources and Further Readings:
Al Jazeera Staff (2025, April 23). ‘Act of war’: What happened in Kashmir attack that killed 26 tourists? https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/4/23/act-of-war-what-happened-in-kashmir-attack-that-killed-26-tourists
Sheikh Saaliq (2025, April 23). Disputed Kashmir witnesses deadliest attack on civilians in years, sparking fears of rising tensions https://apnews.com/article/kashmir-pahalgam-militant-attack-india-explainer-440b6e3b2886fe18aa2521e823d0754c
The Hindu Bureau (2025, April 23). The Resistance Front: The Banned organisation behind Pahalgam terror attack https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/jammu-and-kashmir/the-resistance-front-the-banned-organisation-behind-pahalgam-terror-attack/article69481681.ece
Samiran Mishra (2025, April 23). “Concerned At Loss Of Lives”: Pakistan On Pahalgam Terrorist Attack https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/pahalgam-terrorist-attack-concerned-at-loss-of-lives-pakistan-on-pahalgam-terrorist-attack-8233814
Samiran Mishra (2025, April 23). 26 Killed In Deadly Pahalgam Attack, LeT-Linked Group Claims Responsibility https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/pahalgam-terrorist-attack-26-killed-in-deadly-pahalgam-attack-let-linked-group-claims-responsibility-8233100
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