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Life came to a standstill across the Kashmir Valley on Wednesday as residents, political leaders, business communities, and civil society members observed a complete shutdown in response to the recent terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam. The collective move was not just a protest, but a show of solidarity with the victims and a public rejection of terrorism.
The strike followed the shocking attack earlier this week, in which innocent tourists were targeted, leaving the region in mourning and sparking outrage across social and political lines.
KTMA Leads Call for Shutdown
The Kashmir Traders and Manufacturers Association (KTMA), one of the most influential trade bodies in the region, spearheaded the call for a valley-wide shutdown. Following an emergency meeting on Tuesday evening, the association announced its decision to suspend all business activities as a mark of protest.
“This is a heart-wrenching incident. The shutdown is our strongest possible condemnation. Islam doesn’t allow such acts where innocent lives are taken—it’s the death of humanity. We are truly against this, and we don’t want such acts to plague our region,” said KTMA General Secretary Bashir Ahmad Kongposh in a statement to ANI.
Shops, markets, and businesses across Srinagar and other towns remained shuttered, while public transport was off the roads.
Outrage Spreads Beyond the Valley
The wave of grief and anger wasn’t limited to the Kashmir Valley. In Poonch and other parts of Jammu and Kashmir, local communities also participated in the bandh. Protests were held in multiple locations where people demanded justice for the victims and called for immediate action against those responsible.
Demonstrators carried placards and raised slogans calling for peace, condemning the violence, and expressing their fear that such attacks harm the region’s fragile stability.
Tourists and Locals Left Shaken
Even visiting tourists, many of whom had come to enjoy Kashmir’s scenic beauty, were left in disbelief at the incident. A heavy silence hung over the valley, which had been bustling with visitors just days ago.
Ashiq Hussain, a local resident of Srinagar, spoke to reporters with visible distress. “Tourism was at its peak. Now this will affect everything. Our name is being tarnished globally because of the actions of a few. This should never happen again,” he said, calling the attack a “murder of humanity.”
Political Unity in the Face of Terror
In a rare display of political unanimity, parties across the spectrum backed the shutdown.
The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) joined the protest, urging people to support the bandh. “On the instruction of the Party President, JKNC joins the collective call for a bandh in strong condemnation of the attack. We appeal to the people of J&K to ensure the hartal called by religious and social leaders is a complete success,” the party posted on social media.
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti also stood in solidarity. Calling the attack “an assault on all of us,” she emphasized the need for unity in such dark times.
The Jammu-Kashmir Students Association (JKSA) echoed similar sentiments, describing the attack as an “attack on the soul of Jammu and Kashmir” and called for mass participation in the shutdown.
From the separatist side, All Parties Hurriyat Conference Chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq also appealed for a peaceful shutdown. He condemned the “heinous crime” and urged the public to observe the strike as a non-violent protest.
While the public united in mourning, the Indian Army and Jammu and Kashmir Police intensified their search for the attackers. A joint operation is currently underway in the Baisaran area of Pahalgam in Anantnag district. Security personnel are combing through the forested region, using all available resources in the hunt for the perpetrators.
