Kashmir Killings Not Just Attack On India But Humanity

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The recent massacre of 26 civilians, mostly tourists, in the serene Pahalgam Valley of Indian-administered Kashmir is more than a national tragedy.
It is a brutal strike against peace, coexistence, and the very ideals that bind us as a global community. This was not merely an attack on India. It was an attack on humanity.
Nestled in the Himalayas, Pahalgam is a place of breathtaking beauty and spiritual significance. It serves as a key base camp for the Amarnath Yatra, a major Hindu pilgrimage, and has become a symbol of India’s efforts to restore normalcy and promote tourism in Kashmir.
By targeting civilians in such a peaceful location, the perpetrators aimed not only to kill but to shatter a fragile sense of hope in a region that has already borne decades of unrest.
ADSPremeditated assault on civilians
This incident was not a mere act of random violence.
Evidence indicates that the assailants intentionally separated their victims before their execution, employing a calculated brutality designed to instil fear and exacerbate societal divisions.
Reports from Indian news outlets attribute the Pahalgam attacks to The Resistance Front (TRF), a clandestine organisation linked to the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist group.
The absence of any group claiming responsibility is a deliberate tactic aimed at fostering confusion and evading accountability.
The timing of the attack, which coincided with US Vice President JD Vance’s visit to India and occurred shortly before the commencement of the Amarnath Yatra, further implies an intention to incite political and religious discord on national and international levels.
In response to the attack, India has implemented rapid and symbolic measures: revoking visas for Pakistani citizens, halting trade, reducing diplomatic relations, and closing the last operational land border crossing.
These actions convey a message of zero tolerance; however, symbolism must be complemented by a coherent strategy.
Strong and precise response
India’s response must be strong, but smart. Retaliation does not have to mean escalation. It must involve covert precision operations, similar to those conducted in the past, such as the 2016 surgical strikes and the 2019 Balakot airstrikes, which targeted terror infrastructure without drawing the region into full-scale war.
ADSIndia must also escalate cyber warfare capabilities, disrupt the digital and financial networks that fund terrorism, and enhance on-ground intelligence collaboration, especially in border regions and among local communities.
This needs to be coupled with aggressive diplomatic efforts to isolate state and non-state actors that facilitate terrorism. No actor, direct or indirect, should feel emboldened by global silence or inaction.
International bodies such as the United Nations, G20, and the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) must be engaged to ensure global support. Countries must stop treating terrorism as a regional or ideological problem; it is a global menace that demands a unified international counterterrorism doctrine.
Not a religious war
It is crucial to emphasise that this assault should not be perceived as a conflict between religions. The individuals who executed this heinous act do not embody Islam, just as previous aggressors in various regions have not represented Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, or any other belief system.
They are solely manifestations of hatred. Their targets included Hindus, Muslims, tourists, and civilians - anyone who obstructed their regressive agenda.
Their aim is not liberation or justice, but rather domination through disorder. The international community must resist the inclination to interpret such attacks through a sectarian perspective.
This issue transcends Hindus and Muslims; it is fundamentally a struggle between terrorists and all of humanity.
Kashmir can’t be held hostage
Pahalgam, often referred to as “Mini Switzerland”, has become a metaphor for what Kashmir could be: a hub of natural beauty, culture, and economic opportunity. Militants want to destroy this vision. We cannot let them succeed.
India must move forward with its plans to integrate Kashmir through development, starting with the inauguration of the much-anticipated railway line that will connect the region more deeply with the rest of the country.
Tourism must be protected and promoted, not just as an economic activity, but as a statement: that life, culture, and peace will always triumph over fear.
For every bullet fired, there must be a bridge built for connectivity, for dialogue, for peace.
What Malaysia can learn
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim condemned the attack in no uncertain terms, calling it a “calculated and inhuman assault”.
His statement rightly emphasised that violence has no place in any civilised society. But more than words, such incidents must inspire preparedness, unity, and reform in nations across the world, including Malaysia.
Malaysia, like many multicultural nations, must remain vigilant to extremist ideologies, especially in the digital space.
The nation has the potential to enhance its investment in deradicalisation initiatives, bolster both border and cybersecurity measures, and actively involve civil society in fostering interfaith dialogue and promoting national unity.
More importantly, Malaysia must continue to support international frameworks aimed at rooting out terror financing, ideological propaganda, and recruitment mechanisms, whether in South Asia, the Middle East, or beyond.
This attack should also serve as a reminder that neutrality in the face of terrorism is not an option. All nations must stand with victims, not just in sympathy but in proactive support politically, militarily, and morally.
The Pahalgam attack must be remembered not only for the lives lost but as a defining moment, a chance for the global community to unite in firm opposition to terrorism. Let this be the moment we say: enough. Enough of safe havens. Enough excuses. Enough of terror being used as a tool of foreign policy.
This is not India’s wound alone, it is a wound on the soul of humanity. And the world must respond not with fear, but with unshakable resolve.
Terrorism has no religion, no nationality, only a destructive purpose. The world’s only answer must be: zero tolerance.
R PANEIR SELVAM is the principal consultant of Arunachala Research & Consultancy Sdn Bhd, a think tank specialising in strategic national and geopolitical matters.
The views expressed here are those of the author/contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of MMKtT.

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