Pahalgam terror attacks: Restoring normalcy and justice is key for India

The terrorist attack in Pahalgam, one of Jammu & Kashmir’s (J&K’s) most popular holiday spots, killing 26 people, is a challenge for New Delhi on multiple fronts. First, the nature of the attack clearly indicates that the terrorists and their backers wanted to instil fear in the minds of tourists. The number of tourists in J&K has been steadily climbing over the past few years, from roughly 13 million in 2015 to 21 million in 2023. The country had a general sense that conditions in J&K were normal, and it was safe to visit the valley. Thus, the terrorists have struck not only at the economic prospects of the region but the overall normalisation process. It can prove to be a big setback for the region, and the government must aim to minimise the damage.

 

The second big challenge for the government is to investigate the attack and find the people behind it. It needs to address the inadequacies of the intelligence and security apparatus in the region. In a way, this has been a problem for decades. In the last year alone, for instance, militants have struck fairly frequently. They fired at a tourist couple; attacked a bus carrying pilgrims, resulting in the death of nine people when the vehicle fell into a gorge; and shot dead six migrant workers and a doctor near a tunnel-construction site. More worryingly, the militants have also managed to expand their traditional ambit of operations from the Kashmir Valley to Jammu. Between 2021 and 2024, there have been over 30 militant-related attacks in Jammu, according to the official data, many of them causing civilian deaths.

 

In fact, a series of developments should have raised threat perceptions at a time when tourism in the state is heading for peak season. Some are related to India’s strategic proximity to the United States (US), which is unlikely to please Pakistan. One is the extradition by the US of Canadian-Pakistani Tahawwur Rana to India, where he will stand trial for plotting the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. Also, US Vice-President J D Vance’s visit could have been seen as an additional cause for provocation, especially given the unusual power he wields in Washington DC. Further, there has been the Pakistan army chief’s comment a few days ago that Kashmir is his country’s “jugular vein”. Though intelligence agencies interpreted his remark as a sign of an imminent militant attack, there was a case to increase the level of alertness in the security establishment.

 

Finally, with public anger roiled by social and mainstream media, the government must act with restraint and rationality to defuse the situation. It has been reported that the terrorists attacked tourists after checking their religious identity. It is thus important for the government not to allow any kind of communal tension to flare up. It is the last thing the country wants, not least so that J&K’s fragile peace is not compromised. The attack demands a measured and calculated response on multiple fronts. The priority at the moment should be to restore normalcy in the region and bring the perpetrators to justice as soon as possible.