Bilal Bashir Bhat
Today marks exactly one month since the tragic Pahalgam Terror Attack, a dark day that shocked the peaceful heart of the Kashmir Valley and reverberated across borders. What took place on April 22 was not merely an attack on civilians, but an attack on the very image of a Kashmir that had, after years of unrest, begun to breathe freely again.
What deepens the irony is that this attack occurred precisely two years after a proud milestone in our history, when Srinagar hosted the G20 Working Group Meeting on Tourism in 2023. That landmark event marked Kashmir’s global re-entry, symbolizing stability, hospitality, and hope. International dignitaries witnessed firsthand the Valley’s return to normalcy, its cultural vibrancy, and its resilient people eager to rewrite their narrative.
Yet, on April 22, 2025, a single brutal act sought to unravel this painstaking progress. The echoes of gunfire in Pahalgam sent panic rippling not only through Kashmir but also along the Line of Control, jolting a place that stands precariously between two nuclear-armed nations. Tourists, many already planning to explore the famed meadows of Pahalgam, began to cancel, and the phrase “Paradise on Earth” once again risked being overshadowed by fear.
But we say this firmly, and without hesitation: Do not let terror define Kashmir.
The Pahalgam attack was an aberration, not a reflection of the present reality in Kashmir. The people of this land have suffered, yes, but they have also healed. We have rebuilt our economy, welcomed tourists in record numbers, and watched young Kashmiris lead in technology, arts, education, and entrepreneurship. Over the past few years, our security situation has improved dramatically, our streets have seen more festivals than funerals, and our hopes have finally found room to grow.
To let one act of violence reverse this progress would be to reward the intentions of terror. The world must not allow that.
Kashmiris urge the global community, travellers, investors, and friends of Kashmir: Do not turn away. Stand with the people of Kashmir. Let your continued presence in the Valley be your loudest statement against those who want to spread fear.
The attack in Pahalgam should remind us of the stakes but not make us retreat. Instead, let it deepen our resolve to build a Kashmir that is not only peaceful but permanently resilient, where bombs and bullets never again steal headlines from the smiling faces of children, the songs of Dal Lake, or the scent of saffron fields.
Kashmir remains open. Its valleys are green, its people warm, and its arms wide open to the world.
Let’s not let one tragic chapter rewrite the entire story. !
