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.
A Premeditated Assault on
Civilians
This incident was not a mere act
of random violence.
Evidence indicates that the
assailants intentionally separated their victims prior to their execution,
employing a calculated brutality designed to instill fear and exacerbate
societal divisions.
Reports from Indian news outlets
attribute the Pahalgam attacks to The Resistance Front (TRF), a clandestine
organization 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 U.S. 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 both 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.
A Strategic Response: Strength
with Precision
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.
India 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.
This Is Not a Religious War
It is crucial to emphasize 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 i.e. 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 Cannot 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 and the World Can
Learn
Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk
Seri Anwar Ibrahim condemned the attack in no uncertain terms, calling it a
“calculated and inhuman assault.”
His statement rightly emphasized
that violence has no place in any civilized 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 deradicalization 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.
A Defining Moment for Global
Resolve
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 of 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.
Kuala Lumpur.
24.4.2025
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