In what can only be described as a brutal declaration of fanaticism’s enduring menace, the picturesque Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam — often called the Switzerland of India — was transformed into a site of horror that shocked even a region all too familiar with breaches of security and the price of disorder.
Twenty-eight innocent tourists from at least three countries were killed by Islamist terrorists in a massacre marked not only by its savagery but by its sinister precision. Survivors recount how the assailants forced their captives to recite the Islamic kalma, produce identification cards, and, in some instances, submit to the humiliation of having their trousers removed to reveal their religion. Those who failed these grotesque tests were shot dead at point-blank range.
Such calculated religious targeting harks back to some of the darkest moments in modern history. The international community has responded to this with outrage. The United States, whose Vice President happened to be in India during the attack, joined other nations in condemning this barbaric act.
‘The Resistance Front’, an outfit with known links to Lashkar-e-Taiba—a Pakistan based ‘Proscribed Terrorist Organization’ under the UK’s Terrorism Act 2000—claimed responsibility for the massacre. Predictably, Islamabad shrugged its shoulders, maintaining a deafening silence about its territories being used as launchpads for terror. In response, New Delhi has implemented a five-point action plan, even as the Prime Minister Modi cut short his state visit to Saudi Arabia to oversee the nation’s response.
In a retaliatory diplomatic move, Pakistan has suspended bilateral trade agreements and treaties, including the historic Shimla Pact that was signed after the 1971 war — a conflict that birthed Bangladesh. Islamabad has further closed its airspace to Indian flights, escalating tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
Disturbingly, Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) — from where the assailants crossed into Indian territory — has reportedly hosted members of international terror and extremist organisations, including the Hamas and Lashkar-e-Taiba earlier this year. The presence of such groups within Pakistani borders poses not only a regional threat but an international one.
Given these facts, an exercise of right to defence by countries including India, and neutralisation of terror hubs present in Pakistan, may not be ruled out. If carried out, a military action in this regard may find both legal and moral legitimacy under the principles of individual and collective self-defence, as recognised in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter. Such measures would echo precedents set by nations like the United Kingdom, which conducted targeted military operations in Syria in 2016.
The reverberations of the Pahalgam massacre extend far beyond the subcontinent, and it would be naïve to consider this horror a remote tragedy. Britain is home to significant Indian and Pakistani diaspora communities, whose relations have occasionally frayed under the pressure of events abroad. The events in Leicester in 2022 serve as a grim reminder, when Islamist extremists vandalised Hindu temples, desecrated sacred symbols, and targeted homes displaying Hindu iconography. Similar incidents have occurred in Birmingham, Nottingham, and, most recently in London, where a Hindu temple was allegedly attacked over its criticism of Hamas’ actions.
That the victims of Pahalgam massacre were selected on the basis of faith gives this tragedy a visceral resonance for many in Britain. It reopens wounds still raw for communities whose places of worship have come under attack in recent years. The British government, therefore, ought to not merely to condemn such acts abroad and support proportionate counter measures, but to also ensure that the repercussions are not felt on its own streets.
The British authorities must be vigilant. Temples, community centres, and public gatherings require active safeguarding. Moreover, political leaders and public institutions must make it unequivocally clear that Britain is safe for all its residents. Finally, London must not falter in reaffirming its commitment to opposing cross-border terrorism. As it did during its military intervention in Syria, the UK should support international efforts to dismantle terror infrastructure that threatens not just South Asia but the entire world.
The brutalities of Pahalgam serve as a tragic reminder of the persistent threat posed by religious extremism and transnational terror networks. It demands a unified, uncompromising global response — one that protects innocent lives, upholds the right to self-defence and fortifies societies against the forces of hatred and division.
