World
India
As the nation mourns the 26 lives lost in Tuesday’s brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam, public outrage has spilled onto the streets, sparking demonstrations across India and prompting sharp diplomatic responses from the Centre.
In New Delhi, members of the Indian Youth Congress led a candlelight march in solidarity with the victims and torched Pakistani flags in protest. “This is not just an attack on people, but on India’s soul. We demand a fitting response,” said a protester at the site near Jantar Mantar.
Similar scenes were witnessed in Telangana, where Youth Congress workers marched in the state capital, demanding strict retaliation. In Pahalgam, the very site of the carnage, local hotel owners and shopkeepers led their own candlelight protest, joined by emotional voices from the community. “Tourists are our lifeline. This pain is personal,” said Imran, a hotel manager in the area.
In Srinagar, political leaders also joined in. Sajad Lone, chief of the J&K People’s Conference, led a silent march, condemning the “inhuman and targeted killing of innocents.”
Reacting swiftly, the Indian government took decisive steps to isolate Pakistan diplomatically. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri, after a high-level meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, announced that the Indus Waters Treaty will be held in abeyance, the Attari Integrated Check Post will be shut down, and Pakistani nationals will be barred from entering India under the SAARC visa exemption scheme.
“The CCS has taken stock of all evidence, including the cross-border planning involved. India will not look the other way. Terror will face consequences,” Misri stated during a press briefing.
The CCS also issued a strong condemnation of the attack, which targeted unarmed tourists in Baisaran Valley. Among the dead were 25 Indians and one Nepali national. The carnage is being described as the most devastating terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir since the Pulwama attack in 2019, which claimed 40 lives.
Families of the victims continue to reel in grief. “We sent our daughter for a holiday. She returned in a coffin. We want justice, not promises,” said Suresh Tiwari, father of one of the slain tourists.
