The Pahalgam terror attack on 22 April 2025, masterminded and engineered by the terrorists, resulted in the killing of 28 tourists, mostly from outside J&K, on the spot. It is no doubt a deliberately planned provocation to psychologically terrorize the country. It is a brutal act against innocent civilians. The visuals, in particular and the strategy adopted in killing had left many to ponder over the conspirators of cross-border terrorism. The kind of religious fanaticism was clear from the horrific scenes wherein the terrorists’ segregated men from women, identifying them by religion and finishing their task just to terrorize Indians. 

From the bleeding heights of the Kargil war to Pathankot to Pulwama and now Pahalgam in 2025, the state of Jammu and Kashmir has experienced many terror attacks and infiltrations quite intermittently, with unprovoked firing along the Line of Control. Questions like “Who has sheltered the terrorists in the valley”? Who has sponsored the arms and ammunition”? haunt us every day. 

The vulnerability of the J&K environment, the surroundings of mountains, lakes, rivers, forests, and lush green pastures, makes it typically an easy place for carrying out terror attacks. It is heaven on earth. It is the fertile land of apples and saffron. It is a land inhabited by Kashmiri Pandits.  The scholars of Sharada were Hindu priests who composed scriptures in the 1890s. This is the heritage of Kashmir that Hindus lost. Over the last few decades, the state has been in the news about these attacks. It is no more a paradise for people and tourists when infiltrators and cross-border terrorists intrude into the valley. Geographically, its complex nature makes it extremely difficult to undertake search operations, and on the security front, the concerns of safety and security are challenging to safeguard. The minus degree temperatures complicate things there for the armed forces.

The scale and magnitude of terror attacks have, by comparison, crossed the maximum levels. The bomb blasts in Hyderabad, Mumbai and other places witnessed huge casualties. If Punjab could successfully combat terrorism, why couldn’t India undertake a similar exercise in J&K?  

Coming to the attack on 22 April 2025 in Pahalgam, the nation was quick to react. There were many arguments and debates, as usual, in the electronic media. Even heated debates were conducted. Some leaders openly supported the attacks, while others vehemently opposed them. Those who support these actions should keep in mind the perpetrators of attacks on the pilgrims of the Amarnath Yatra and the bomb blasts in the Samjhauta train, and the brutal attack on the Taj Hotel in Mumbai. It is a betrayal of humanity at last. It is an inhuman act by the terrorists. One must note that India has more internal enemies than external enemies. Thousands of illegal Pakistanis, Rohingyas, and Bangladeshis have infiltrated India with forged documents. It is a national suicide. 

India has internal enemies in the form of illegal infiltrations.  People in India have been used as spying agents. Thus, they send a message to the rivals that India is a divided society. This has been the crux of the decades-old problem. Diagnosis and treatment do not go together. 

Since Partition in 1947, nearly 20 lakh people were killed because of sectarian violence, and thousands were displaced by either side of the country. Is there no end in sight? Those who debated or discussed the terror attacks had done that in AC rooms.  The actual scenario is different. Those who oppose the Government’s decision do not go to the battlefronts. Those who support the rival country do not sacrifice their lives. It is undoubtedly the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force that are going to battle it out with the enemy. People have every right to air their views using freedom of expression. But they should be sensible enough to deal with the most sensitive issue. People watch them on a live telecast. All debates ended in provocations or arguments instead of working out a solution to the crisis. It does more harm than good in the end. 

The war on terrorism calls for national unity. They fight verbally on TV channels with nothing to their credit. India stands at a crucial juncture, just as the world is watching us very closely. Party politics and power politics are different. Election strategies are different. India is passing through a crisis of terrorism, and all Indians should fight the enemy. The anti-nationals on social media post emotionally provocative comments, which will cost the nation very dearly. Those who spoke in support of terror attacks have been booked. 

This is not the right time to talk about politics. No government would ever lose the valuable lives of its citizens. It has continued to be an unending problem for more than seven decades. The fight against terrorism has been relentlessly going on. It is easier to find the lapses than to appreciate the good work done by the Government. In a country of more than 140 crores of population, there are bound to be differences within the pluralistic society. 

The USA did not find any lapses until the 9/11 attacks on the New York towers. Constructive criticism is always welcome in a democracy. Religious bias and hatred do not survive in the world. Going beyond the basic tenets of religion costs the community dearly. Aiding and abetting terrorism is a highly condemnable act and would invite retaliation. This is exactly what India is under pressure to attack the enemy to protect its citizens. 

If one looks at what Israel did to Hamas within 72 hours of the killings of its citizens in Gaza, India can accomplish that very easily. Pakistan is no match for India. The Government of India has announced diplomatic measures which include the suspension or cancellation of five major treaties. First, at the diplomatic level, India withdrew five major benefits from Pakistan.  India surrendered its natural upper riparian advantage, handing over more than 80% of the Indus basin waters to Pakistan. As a result, India lost its major share of the Indus River waters. 

Following the Pahalgam terror attack, the cancellation of the Indus River Treaty is seen as the right move in the right direction. No country needs to attack the enemy country. Only economic sanctions could cause the ultimate disaster. These sanctions can significantly impact a country’s economy. This is exactly what the Modi-led government is doing now. It is contextually binding, too. These measures should have been taken long ago. India, despite having experienced terror attacks, did not look at the issue of illegal Pakistani and Bangladeshi nationals living in different parts of India for some time. The number stands at thousands for many years. They have been living in India even after the Visa expiry period. 

The shadows of the Kargil war are back once again. The developments of Post Pahalgam have to be meticulously dealt with. Anyone who supports or opposes a religion must keep in mind the psychological impacts of their language. That would hurt the sentiments of other religions. India has, for the last few days, witnessed such provocations in debates. The media must censor such things in the larger interest of the nation. The emotional outbursts would rather precipitate the crisis. They naturally weaken the native country and strengthen the rival country. India witnessed such people openly going beyond the limits in a few states last week. The enemy within is more dangerous than the enemy outside. Mercy to the guilty is cruelty to the innocent. Exercising utmost restraint in troubled times is the need of the hour. 

An elected government is empowered to make the decision. They take it in the interest of the nation. The Government of India has given the green signal to the Indian Defence Forces to undertake the military operation. India needs to rise above petty politics. India needs to strike back at terrorism. Let us support the Indian Armed Forces in the war on terrorism. When India successfully got its freedom, this war on terrorism was dealt with equal tempo. This is the same spirit that India needs at this crucial juncture. India needs full stops only, and not comma marks any more.