Not in my name. That was the clear message that went out from Kashmir , with people pouring into the streets across towns and villages to express their anguish and condemn the terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people, mostly tourists.
Srinagar city and other parts of Kashmir witnessed a shutdown, perhaps a first in recent memory.
A common occurrence before August 2019, when Article 370 of the Constitution was abrogated, this was the first shutdown in Kashmir in nearly six years.
While Peoples Democratic Party chief Mehbooba Mufti apologised to the people of the country and said Kashmiris were ashamed of the incident during a protest march in Srinagar, the ruling National Conference too marched to the Lal Chowk city centre to protest against the attack.
Taking to X , Mehbooba wrote, The Chamber & Bar Association Jammu has called for a complete shutdown tomorrow in protest against the horrific militant attack on tourists. I appeal all Kashmiris to unite in solidarity to support this bandh as a mark of respect for the innocent lives lost in the brutal assault in Pahalgam. This isn’t just an attack on a select few—it is an attack on all of us. We stand together in grief and outrage & strongly support this shutdown to condemn the massacre of innocents.
People from all walks of life denounced the attack on the tourists, saying the perpetrators were hitting at the foundation of the valley’s economy.
“This should not happen — not in the name of Kashmir and not in the name of Islam. Islamic teachings value human life to the point that taking an innocent life is akin to killing entire humanity,” Haji Bashir Ahmad Dar, a resident of Srinagar city, told PTI.
Democratic Progressive Azad Party President Ghulam Nabi Azad told ANI , “… Earlier, people used to rarely condemn similar incidents. Maybe because they were afraid that if they spoke against militants, their lives could be in danger… But this is the first time that I’m seeing that the entire J&K is mourning, and every village, district, and city of J&K has shut down in response to the incident that happened yesterday. There was a time when support was asked for militants in a few of the mosques here in J&K… This is the first time I am seeing that in mosques, all the imams are speaking against the terrorists.”
