Editorial: Terror in the Valley
The Pahalgam attack comes as a grim reminder of the continued threat from Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism
The targeted killing of at least 30 tourists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam, the deadliest terrorist attack on civilians since the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, came as a grim reminder of the continued threat from Pakistan-sponsored cross-border terrorism. The scenic meadow embracing dense forests at Baisaran, a popular tourist destination, turned into a killing field as terrorists, dressed in Army uniforms, singled out men based on their religious identity and shot them dead from close range. There are bound to be serious repercussions for this heinous act, for which a shadowy group called The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group, claimed responsibility. It is clear that the objective was to cripple the local economy, which is entirely dependent on tourism, and foment frustration and restlessness among the locals who could then be turned against India. At a time when tourism is thriving in the region, the dastardly attack may have dealt a major blow to several livelihoods. After the special status of J&K was revoked in August 2019, the record surge in tourists to the State was seen as a bellwether for normalcy in the Valley. Given how tourism fuelled local employment and businesses, this was also seen as a pointer to a more prosperous future. The Pahalgam attack comes a week after Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir’s statement that Kashmir is Islamabad’s “jugular vein”. Despite facing humiliating defeats in the past and its devious plans being exposed before the world, the Pakistani military establishment continues to bet on its age-old strategy of using terrorism as a weapon against India.
The TRF is apparently a creation of the Pakistani deep state. Since LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) have religious connotations, Pakistani military bosses wanted to make Kashmir militancy appear indigenous and hence opted for a change in the name to gain some currency in global politics. The attack also coincided with the ongoing visit of United States Vice-President JD Vance, a familiar pattern that terror outfits adopt to garner maximum international publicity. In January 2023, the Home Ministry declared the TRF a “terrorist organisation” under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for propaganda on terror activities, recruitment of terrorists, infiltration of terrorists and smuggling of weapons and narcotics. The fringe outfit started taking responsibility for attacks in 2020. Different attacks would be perpetrated through the Valley, but only TRF claimed responsibility, as opposed to the traditional organisations active in Kashmir like LeT, JeM and Hizbul Mujahideen. The perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack did not just sneak through gaps in border fencing but were guided, armed and funded by handlers across the border. These are not ragtag rebels. They are proxies — trained, equipped and activated by the Pakistan Army and the ISI. And it is time we stopped pretending otherwise. If terror comes from across the LoC, retaliation must go beyond it.
