‘Not In My Name’: Kashmiris Flood The Streets, Condemn Pahalgam Attack

“Not in my name.” This was the clear message resonating across Kashmir on April 23, Wednesday, as people took to the streets in towns and villages to express their anguish and condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed the lives of 26 individuals, mostly tourists.

Srinagar city and other regions of Kashmir experienced a shutdown, marking a significant event as it was the first such occurrence in nearly six years. This shutdown, reminiscent of the pre-August 2019 era, when Article 370 of the Constitution was abrogated, was held to condemn the very violence that the abrogation was intended to prevent.

During a protest march in Srinagar, Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti expressed her remorse, stating, “Kashmiris are ashamed of the incident.” The ruling National Conference also joined the protest, marching to the Lal Chowk city center to denounce the attack.

Individuals from various walks of life condemned the assault on tourists, emphasizing that such acts threaten the foundation of the valley’s economy. Haji Bashir Ahmad Dar, a resident of Srinagar, remarked, “Islamic teachings value human life to the point that taking an innocent life is akin to killing entire humanity.”

Protests also erupted in the southern districts of Kashmir, reminiscent of the public outcry in 2016 following the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant Burhan Wani. At a protest in Kulgam, fruit grower G.M. Banday urged the government to take decisive action against terrorism, stating, “Steps should be taken to uproot terrorism at the earliest so that such incidents do not happen again… people of Kashmir have always been against terrorism. However, conspiracies are being hatched to malign the Kashmiri community and hit the local economy. Such acts affect the livelihood of the local youth.”

Trader Mohammad Iqbal from Kulgam expressed his sorrow over the attack, saying, “Our innocent brothers and sisters who had come to visit Kashmir were targeted. Every Kashmiri is sad over the killings, which should not have taken place. Our trade is linked to tourism, and if tourist arrivals drop, it will hit the local economy. The local trade has been in doldrums for the past few years.”

Tauseef Ahmad War, a social activist, joined the protests in Handwara town of Kupwara district in north Kashmir, stating, “We are protesting here to send a message to the world that Kashmiris are not with terrorism; we condemn the attack on tourists in Pahalgam.”

Lok Sabha MP from Srinagar, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, emphasized that the attackers do not represent the people of Jammu and Kashmir, saying, “Whoever did this, they neither belong to our religion nor to the people of Jammu and Kashmir. The people of Jammu and Kashmir are saying that such acts of terror should not be done in our name or in the name of our religion. We hope that the perpetrators are brought to justice soon.”

Despite facing the aftermath of devastating flash floods and multiple landslides, residents of Ramban district in Jammu observed a complete shutdown and staged peaceful protests to condemn the terror attack. The joint protest by the Muslim and Hindu communities—likely a first in the town’s history—was led by Islamic scholars who called for decisive action against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism, which has plagued the region for over 35 years.

Gul Mohammad Farooqi, Imam of Jamia Masjid of Bowli Bazar, expressed the collective sentiment, stating, “We are already battling nature’s fury and now this senseless attack has deepened our wound. We condemn this act which is against the teachings of Islam.” He added, “It is not just a protest but our collective mourning. We stand for peace even when everything around feels broken,” as protesters chanted anti-Pakistan and anti-terrorism slogans.