Pak-sponsored terror

Blood spilt over the serene meadows of Baisaran, often likened to a ‘mini Switzerland’ for their breathtaking beauty, when on April 22 at least 26 people, including two foreign tourists, were brutally murdered in the upper reaches of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. This dastardly act, was carried out by The Resistance Front-a shadowy group linked to the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba. The killings serve as a grim reminder of the persistent threat of terrorism in the region and its deep-rooted connections to Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) and the military. The location is accessible only by foot or pony, a place where the tourists had gathered to bask in the natural beauty of the meadows. The timing of the attack was particularly poignant, coinciding with the visit of US Vice-President J.D. Vance to India and the beginning of the tourist and trekking season. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was on a two-day visit to Saudi Arabia, cut short his trip and returned to India, underscoring the gravity of the situation. This is the first major terrorist attack targeting civilians in the Valley since 2019, shattering the relative calm that had been maintained over the past few years. The fingerprints of Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and the logistical support of the Pakistan Army are unmistakable in this heinous act. For decades, Pakistan has nurtured and sponsored terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, using them as proxies to wage a war of attrition against India. The ISI’s strategy is clear: to create chaos and instability in Jammu and Kashmir, with the aim of bleeding India through a thousand cuts. However, this approach has failed to achieve its desired objectives. Far from destabilizing India, it has only deepened the isolation of Pakistan on the global stage. The narrative peddled by Pakistan and its terror proxies-that Kashmiris aspire to join Pakistan-is nothing short of a delusion. The overwhelming majority of Kashmiris, including Muslims, have repeatedly rejected the idea of merging with Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Life in India offers them opportunities, rights, and a standard of living that is unimaginable under Pakistani rule. The only connection that Pakistan and its terror groups have with Kashmir is a tenuous one-based on religion. Yet, even this has failed to sway the Kashmiri people, who have witnessed the horrors of militancy and the destructive impact of Pakistan’s policies. The cold-blooded murder of 26 unarmed tourists, including foreign nationals, sends a chilling message. Pakistan, which has become a breeding ground for murderous terrorist groups, is digging its own grave. The Frankenstein it has created is now out of control, and the international community can no longer turn a blind eye to its complicity in terrorism. The time has come for the global community to hold Pakistan accountable for its actions and demand that it dismantle the terror infrastructure operating on its soil. In the aftermath of the Baisaran massacre, India must remain resolute in its fight against terrorism. The sacrifices of the victims must not be in vain. The world must recognize the reality of state-sponsored terrorism and act decisively to end Pakistan’s dangerous game of nurturing and exporting terror. Only then can the people of Jammu and Kashmir-and the region at large-hope to live in peace and prosperity.