Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India] April 23 (ANI): In the aftermath of the terror attack in Pahalgam, citizens gathered outside the Police Control Room in Srinagar, holding protests against the violence.
Speaking to ANI on Wednesday, one protester said, “This is mourning. All of Kashmir is mourning the death of humanity. We love tourists. They are our life. If a bullet hits them, it strikes our hearts. This attack has shattered our souls. This is not just murder–it is the murder of humanity, and we will not forgive it.”
Protesters called on the government and security forces to take strong and immediate action. “We respect the police, we are with them. But the government must act. This is a time to fight this war together,” said another protester.
“Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, or Christian–this is about human life. Don’t point fingers at each other. We have to fight this war together. This is not a one-man fight. All these Kashmiris have to fight this war. Insha Allah, we will succeed in this war, but as long as we are alive, we will have to keep humanity alive,” the protester said.
Protesters said that this attack is a blow to Kashmiriyat, the spirit of harmony and hospitality in the Valley.
“Even the One above–Allah, Bhagwan–has made us all as human beings. If we forget the value of human life, we lose everything,” said one elderly protester. “In my sixty years, I have never seen such a black day. We haven’t eaten since yesterday. Our hearts are too heavy,” a protester told ANI.
Sunil Sharma, Leader of Opposition in the J&K Legislative Assembly and a BJP leader, called the incident “a direct attack on humanity.”
Speaking to ANI, he said, “It is an attack on humanity. Innocent people were targeted. Small children and women were targeted. People were here to enjoy, instead, they are being sent back in coffins.”
Sharma vowed that those responsible would be held accountable. “Every single person involved in this will face justice. No act of terror will go unanswered.”
Meanwhile, Awami Ittehad Party leader Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh also strongly condemned the attack. He said this is an attempt to destabilise the region’s fragile peace and economy.
Sheikh says, “We condemn this attack. It is also an attack on our Kashmiriyat, our hospitality; Some people want to harm our economy and the brotherhood here.”
“Some forces want to destroy the brotherhood here, to derail our development. We want peace, and we have supported the bandh called by several organisations in protest.”
“There have been similar incidents before, but it doesn’t mean people can’t come here. You can’t assess the overall security situation from the perspective of a single incident. We have a greater responsibility to ensure the safety of tourists and non-locals. We are trying to ensure that tourism is not affected,” he added.
Earlier, Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti joined the protest in Srinagar, holding a placard that read, “This is an attack on all of us” in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack on tourists.
Speaking to reporters, Mufti says, “This was an attack not just by the terrorists on the people but also on our Kashmiriyat and us. I request that the Union Home Minister investigate the perpetrators so that they can be brought to justice. We are ashamed that this incident happened in Kashmir, and we stand with those affected.”
The Dogra Front, various members of various Hindu organisations, along with BJP leaders, were also protesting against the Pahalgam terrorist attack on tourists.
Meanwhile, in the aftermath of the tragic terror attack in Pahalgam, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) team visited the Pahalgam terror attack site to support the Jammu and Kashmir (J-K) Police in probing the attack. It was one of the biggest terror attacks in the region after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. (ANI)