2025 Pahalgam attack

2025 Pahalgam attack
Part of the insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir
View of the valley where the attack occurred
Pahalgam is located in Jammu and Kashmir
Pahalgam
Pahalgam
Pahalgam (Jammu and Kashmir)
Location of the attack in Jammu and Kashmir
LocationBaisaran Valley, Pahalgam, Anantnag district, Jammu and Kashmir
Coordinates34°00′13″N 75°20′01″E / 34.00361°N 75.33361°E / 34.00361; 75.33361
Date22 April 2025
TargetTourists[1]
Attack type
Mass shooting
Mass murder
Islamist terrorism[2][neutrality is disputed]
WeaponsAK-47s, M4 carbines [2]
Deaths26
Injured20
VictimsSee casualties
Perpetrators
No. of participants
5
Motive
  • Opposition to Indian government residency permits in Kashmir
  • Opposition to non‑local settlement in Kashmir and alleged demographic change

The 2025 Pahalgam attack was an attack on tourists by five armed Islamist militants[2][neutrality is disputed] near Pahalgam in the Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir in which 26 civilians were killed on 22 April 2025.[5] The militants mainly targeted Hindu tourists, though a Christian tourist and a local Muslim were also killed in the attack.[2][6][7] The incident took place at the tourist spot in Baisaran Valley and is considered the deadliest attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.[8][9]

The Resistance Front (TRF), which is believed to be an offshoot of the Pakistan-based UN-designated terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba,[10][3][4] initially claimed responsibility, stating that the attack was in opposition to Indian government policy allowing Indian citizens to live and work in Kashmir, that resulted in non-local settlement in the region.[11][3] Four days later, they retracted their claim of responsibility.[12] Previously, TRF has claimed responsibility for several terrorist attacks on the security personnel and civilians in the Kashmir region.[13]

The attackers, armed with M4 carbines and AK-47s, entered the tourist spot, which is surrounded by dense pine forests.[14] According to survivors, the militants singled out the men, and asked their religion before shooting the Hindu men.[15][16] Some tourists were asked to recite the Islamic verse of kalima, and those who were unable to recite it were killed.[16] Of the 26 people killed, 25 were tourists, and one was a local Muslim pony ride operator who tried to wrestle a gun from the attackers.[17][18] The attack has caused a surge in Islamophobic and anti-Kashmiri sentiments across India.[19]

The attack further intensified tensions between India and Pakistan and led to a standoff between the countries.[20] India accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism and suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, expelled Pakistani diplomats and closed borders.[21] Pakistan denied India's accusations and retaliated by suspending the Simla Agreement, restricting trade, and closing airspace.[20][22] Border skirmishes between Indian and Pakistani forces began along the Line of Control on 24 April 2025. India closed its airspace to Pakistani airlines on 30 April, and on 3 May, it banned all imports from Pakistan, prohibited Pakistan-flagged ships from entering any of its ports, and suspended the exchange of all categories of mail and parcels from Pakistan via air and surface routes.[23][24][25][26]

Background

Further information: Kashmir conflict; Insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir; and Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019

The Jammu and Kashmir insurgency began in the late 1980s, as part of the wider Kashmir conflict. Pakistan's role in launching the insurgency[27] as well as in turning it into an Islamist militancy[28] are well-documented in the scholarly literature.[29][30] The rise of militancy in the region has led to an exodus of Kashmiri Hindus.[31]

In 2019, the Indian government revoked the special status previously granted to Jammu and Kashmir, and extended the Constitution of India to the state in full, enabling non-Kashmiris to purchase property and settle down in Kashmir.[32] Also related is the issuance of domicile status to non-Kashmiris, qualifying them for jobs and college seats.[33] Fears have been expressed that these changes would result in a change in demographics in Kashmir, with non-locals settling in the area.[34][35][36]

After the revocation, a new militant group called The Resistance Front (TRF) sprang up in Kashmir, believed to have been sponsored by Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba,[37][38] a UN designated terrorist group.[39] TRF has also been designated as terrorist organisation in India.[40] Formed from the cadres of LeT and Hizbul Mujahideen in Kashmir,[41][42] TRF has carried out attacks on Hindu minority communities.[41][13]

Prior to 2025, the largest terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir in preceding years were the 2016 Uri attack and 2019 Pulwama attack. India blamed Pakistan-based militants for both of them and conducted retaliatory strikes.[43][44] In the weeks preceding the Pahalgam attack, India acquired the extradition of former Pakistan Army officer Tahawwur Rana, who was linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba and convicted (in the US) for supporting 2008 Mumbai attacks.[45][46] Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir gave a speech describing Kashmir as "our jugular vein" and branding Hindus as being different from Muslims in every way via an appeal to two-nation theory.[51]

The Indian government and media have long alleged that Pakistan supports insurgent groups such as TRF. Pakistan denies any support for militants including those involved in Jammu and Kashmir, officially maintaining only "diplomatic and moral support" for the Kashmiri people.[52][53][11]

Attack

Baisaran Valley, where the attack took place

On 22 April 2025, five militants entered the Baisaran Valley meadow, which is located about 7 km (4.3 mi) from the Pahalgam town in Anantnag district.[54] The area is surrounded by dense pine forests on all sides, and is a popular spot for tourists;[55] it is only accessible by foot or horseback.[1] The region was not heavily protected.[2][56] The attackers carried M4 carbines and AK-47s and wore military-style uniforms.[14][57]

The attack was inadvertently filmed by a Hindu tourist from Ahmedabad, who was ziplining during the attack.[58] Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a local Muslim pony operator reportedly tried to protect the tourists and wrestle the gun from one of the attackers before being shot and killed.[59][18][60]

Targeted attack on Hindu tourists

The militants asked for the names and religions of the tourists,[15] and specifically targeted those who were Hindus.[7][2] The attackers killed the Hindu men after separating them from the Muslim men.[61] Some tourists were asked to recite the Islamic verse of kalima, so that the militants could segregate them by religion.[16][62] Some Hindu men were forced to remove their trousers to check for a lack of circumcision before being shot at close range, and video footage from the scene showed scenes of panic with injured victims pleading for help and bodies strewn across the ground.[63][64] Accounts from survivors indicated that an attacker spared a woman telling that she was being spared so she could "narrate the horrors" to the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi.[65][66]

The first tourist to be shot was newly married Shubham Dwivedi from Kanpur, who was visiting Kashmir with his wife.[67] The militants approached the couple and asked, “Are you a Hindu or a Muslim?” and Dwivedi responded that “We are Hindus” and was shot point-blank in the head.[7][67] Another newly wed victim was Indian Navy lieutenant, Vinay Narwal from Haryana, who went to Pahalgam six days after his wedding with his wife.[68] In a viral video of the attack, his wife is heard saying "a man suddenly came and said he's not Muslim then shot him."[69] The militants shot three bullets into Narwal's neck, chest and thighs "after realizing he was a Hindu”.[7]

The daughter of a Hindu tourist from Pune recounted that militants asked her father to recite an Islamic verse, and "when he failed to do so, they pumped three bullets into him, one on the head, one behind the ear and another in the back”.[70] The wife of another victim from Andhra Pradesh told the state's deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan that she and her husband lay on the ground, and the terrorists asked twice, "Hindu hai, muslim hai?" (lit. 'Are (you) Hindu? Are (you) Muslim?'), and when they did not respond, her husband was shot dead.[71] A Bengali Hindu professor from Assam, who hid his identity by reciting the Islamic Kalma escaped the killing,[72] while a Christian man from Madhya Pradesh was shot dead after being unable to recite the Islamic Kalma.[73] His wife said the attackers took selfies with the dead bodies.[74]

Casualties

Number of casualties by state or country
State or Country Deaths Injured
Maharashtra 6 5
Gujarat 3 2
Karnataka 3 2
West Bengal 2 1
Madhya Pradesh 2 2
   Nepal 1 1
Andhra Pradesh 1 1
Chhatisgarh 1 1
Arunachal Pradesh 1 -
Bihar 1 -
Haryana 1 -
Jammu and Kashmir 1 -
Kerala 1 -
Odisha 1 -
Uttar Pradesh 1 -
Tamil Nadu - 2
Total 26 17

At least 26 people were killed in the attack, including 25 tourists and one local person, while 20 others were injured.[17] Initially a list of the victims, which was verified by local officials in Kashmir, showed that 25 of the 26 killed were Hindus,[5] while one was a local Muslim pony operator.[18] Subsequently, one of the killed tourists was identified as a Christian.[75] The full list of 26 victims with their names and state of residence was published by Indian newspapers.[76]

The victims included 24 tourists from several Indian states and one foreign tourist from Nepal, while the one local killed was from Jammu and Kashmir.[17][77] Witnesses stated that most of the victims were male, and the dead and injured included those from the Indian states of Arunachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Odisha, Gujarat, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.[76] The dead include three Indian Government officials: recently married officers from the Indian Air Force and Indian Navy, and an official from the Intelligence Bureau.[78] One Christian victim was a resident of Madhya Pradesh.[75]

Aftermath

In the aftermath, locals assisted in the rescue effort and offered shelter to victims.[79][80] Members of the local pony-handlers association rescued 11 injured tourists on ponies and improvised stretchers.[81] Gurudwaras in Kashmir opened their doors to shelter tourists fleeing the valley in fear, as many sought safety closer to cities and airports to return to their home states.[82][83] Emergency services arrived at the scene after news of the attack reached district headquarters. Two critically injured victims were taken to the district hospital at Anantnag at around 16:30, while others were transported to nearby medical centres. The critically injured were airlifted to a military hospital in Srinagar by helicopter for further treatment.[84] A helpline was established to assist affected tourists.[85]

A joint cordon and search operation was launched by the Indian Army, paramilitary forces, and Jammu and Kashmir Police. A temporary lockdown was imposed in Pahalgam, and Indian Army helicopters were deployed to track down the militants, who reportedly fled to the upper reaches of the Pir Panjal range.[86][87]

On 24 April, an Indian soldier was killed and two other soldiers wounded during a gunfight with insurgents in the Basantgarh area of Udhampur.[88]

Authorities conducted extensive searches in Indian-administered Kashmir, detaining more than 1,500 people for questioning. They also demolished the houses of the families of at least 10 alleged militants.[89][90]

Claims of responsibility

The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-based terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba,[10][3][4] claimed responsibility for the attack, linking it to Indian government policy that allows non-Kashmiris to live and work, resulting in non-local settlement in Kashmir.[11][91][92] In a statement on the social media platform Telegram, TRF opposed the granting of domicile certificates to "outsiders", and voiced discontent at resulting alleged demographic changes in the region. It claimed, "These non-locals arrive posing as tourists, obtain domiciles, and then begin to act as if they own the land. Consequently, violence will be directed toward those attempting to settle illegally."[11][53][93]

TRF has a history of targeting non-Kashmiri settlers on such grounds. In June 2020, it released a statement saying, "any Indian who comes with an intention to settle in Kashmir will be treated as an agent of RSS and not as civilian and will be dealt with appropriately."[94] In December 2020, it shot and killed a 70-year-old goldsmith, who had lived in Kashmir close to 50 years, branding him part of the "settler" project.[95] In February 2021, it killed a Punjabi restauranteur's son, even though Punjabi Khatris are a well-established part of Srinagar's retail business, having arrived there well before 1947.[94] In October seven civilians were killed in the span of a week, including two school teachers, a pharmacist and poor economic migrants.[96] According to Puri, such killings of civilians are not normally condoned by the populace but the atmosphere of "mass-scale hysteria" in the Valley on potential demographic changes allows TRF to get away with them.[94]

On 26 April, TRF retracted responsibility for the attack, claiming that their initial claim of responsibility was a communications breach. TRF accused Indian intelligence operatives of having a part in the attack, and stated that they were conducting their own investigation into the perpetrators.[12]

Investigations and arrests

The National Investigation Agency initiated an investigation into the attack after visiting the site on 23 April.[97][98] Based on eyewitness testimonies, the Jammu and Kashmir Police released sketches of three of the militants believed to have been involved in the attack.[99][100] The police stated that all of them were linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba and at least two are foreigners.[101] Police confirmed that all of them have been linked to previous militancy-related incidents in the Poonch region. Following the attack, hundreds of former overground workers and ex-militants were interrogated in Kashmir.[102]

Indian authorities have linked the Pahalgam attack to Pakistan, with digital traces leading to safe houses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi. They concluded that forensic evidence and intelligence intercepts suggest potential support from operatives based in Pakistan.[103][104] Followed by the investigation, NIA found that the attack was done under the directives issued by senior operatives of Pakistan's intelligence agency, the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).[105][106]

On 26 April, a new first information report (FIR) was registered by the central anti-terrorism agency, following an order from the counter terrorism and counter radicalisation (CTCR) division of the ministry of home affairs.[107]

The investigation team has determined that Hashim Musa, one of the two Pakistani militants identified in connection with the Pahalgam terror attack, previously served in Pakistan's paramilitary forces and joined the banned militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba after being dismissed from military service.[108][109]

Bounty

On 24 April the Jammu and Kashmir Police announced a total bounty of ₹6,000,000 (US$80,000) for information leading to the identification, arrest, or elimination of the individuals responsible for the Pahalgam attack. The bounty is divided into ₹2,000,000 (US$30,000) for each of the three suspected terrorists, identified as Adil Hussain Thoker, a resident of Anantnag, and two Pakistani nationals, Ali Bhai (also known as Talha Bhai) and Hashim Musa (also known as Suleiman). According to the police, all three individuals are confirmed to be members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba militant group.[110][111]

Response

Main article: 2025 India–Pakistan standoff

PM Modi cut short his visit to Saudi Arabia and returned to India to chair a meeting with the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on the issue.[112] After this meeting, the Indian foreign secretary, Vikram Misri, briefed senior diplomats around the world regarding five major decisions made by the Indian government.[113] He announced India would immediately suspend the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan until Pakistan ceases its support for cross-border terrorism.[114] He further announced the closure of the main border crossing between the two countries, a travel ban of all Pakistani nationals to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme, and a cancellation of all previously issued visas.[115] Pakistani military advisers at the High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi were expelled, and their Indian counterparts in Islamabad were withdrawn.[116][117]

Union home minister Amit Shah travelled to Srinagar to assess the situation and coordinate the security response, and later travelled to the site of the attack.[118] On 23 April, the Indian Army gave limited clearance for the operation of its grounded HAL Dhruv fleet for counterterrorism operations.[119]

The government later admitted a security lapse revealing that Baisaran Valley had been opened to tourists two months ahead of schedule without notifying security forces, a factor which facilitated the attack. On 24 April, the central government convened an all-party meeting to brief opposition parties in the wake of the attack. Opposition leaders criticised the oversight and Modi's absence from the briefing.[120][121]

Following the attack numerous tourist destinations in the region were shut.[122][123]

Reactions

Domestic

Following the attack, an increase in the number of visitors leaving Jammu and Kashmir was recorded, prompting Air India to operate additional flights to the region.[124]

Kashmir

Following the attack, protests were held across Muslim-majority regions of Kashmir, including Srinagar, Pulwama, Shopian, Pahalgam, Anantnag, Baramulla, and other towns. Demonstrators expressed grief and anger, calling the attack a blow to Kashmiriyat and condemning the violence. Shops and businesses shut down in solidarity.[125] On 25 April, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, in his Friday sermon at Srinagar's Jamia Masjid, said that Kashmiris "stand shoulder to shoulder with the victims." A minute of silence was observed before prayers in memory of those killed.[126]

Rest of India

Protests were held in many parts of India condemning the attack.[127] The attack also prompted a surge in Islamophobic and anti-Kashmiri sentiments across the country. The Association for Protection of Civil Rights, a civil rights advocacy group, has recorded multiple incidents of Islamophobic hate speech, intimidation, and violence, since the attack.[128] Particularly, Kashmiri women and students have faced incidents of threats, harassment, heckling, and assaults from far-right Hindutva groups. In states such as Uttarakhand, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh, Kashmiri tenants faced eviction from their rented accommodations, and shopkeepers refused to trade with them. Several Kashmiri students were forced to seek refuge in airports while attempting to return home.[129][19][130] In Dehradun, the leader of the Hindu Raksha Dal, a far-right Hindutva organisation, issued a threat, warning that Kashmiri Muslims must leave or face unspecified consequences. He also announced plans to mobilise workers to act against them.[131][132] The state government of Haryana, led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), issued directives to ensure the safety of Kashmiri students.[133] However, several BJP members and leaders have also been linked to the rise in hate speech and violence following the attack, including public calls for economic boycotts, inflammatory mosque protests, and assaults on Muslim vendors. Affiliates like the Bajrang Dal and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) have also staged protests featuring similar rhetoric.[128][134][135] On 1 May 2025, Himamashi Narwal, the widow of one of the victims, called for unity and the promotion of communal harmony.[136][137][138]

Political leaders

"Militancy and terrorism will end when people will support us. This is the beginning of that... We should not say or show anything which harms this movement that has arisen... We can control militancy using guns, it will end only when people support us. And now it seems people are reaching that point."[139]

— Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir (in the Special session of J&K Assembly convened shortly after Pahalgam attack)

The attack drew immediate widespread condemnation from political leaders. Indian president Droupadi Murmu called it a "dastardly and inhuman act."[140] Vice president Jagdeep Dhankhar called the act "reprehensible" and condemned it.[140] Modi termed the attack as "shocking and painful" and said that those responsible would be brought to justice.[141]

Chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah described the incident as "much larger than anything we've seen directed at civilians in recent years."[142] Defence minister Rajnath Singh labeled it an "act of cowardice."[140] The leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, criticised the Indian government's policy on Kashmir in light of the attack but also extended support to the government to deal with the threat.[143][11] President of the AIMIM, Asaduddin Owaisi, criticised Pakistan for its involvement in the terror attack at Pahalgam, accusing the country of being the successor of ISIS.[144]

International

The attack drew condemnations and statements of condolences from several other countries including Iran, Israel, Italy, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, the United States, and India's neighbours including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.[145][146] The United Nations and the European Union also issued similar statements.[147][148]

Pakistani defence minister Khawaja Asif dismissed the allegations of his country's involvement in the attack, stating, "This is all home-grown, there are revolutions in different so-called states against India, not one, not two, but dozens, from Nagaland to Kashmir, in the south, in Chattisgarh, in Manipur. In all these places, there are revolutions against the Indian government."[149][150] Asif did not rule out the possibility that the attacks were orchestrated by India or were a false flag operation, claiming that The Resistance Front could not be considered as perpetrators because they would allegedly no longer exist. In an interview with Sky News, he acknowledged that the Pakistani state has a history of funding, training, and supporting terrorist organizations, noting that Pakistan has "done the dirty work for the United States for about three decades. And West, including Britain."[151]

Pakistan also warned India of a comprehensive retaliation in response to the actions announced by the Indian government in the aftermath of the incident.[152] On 24 April, Pakistan suspended visas issued to Indian nationals and closed its airspace to Indian aircraft.[153] On the night between 24 and 25 April, Pakistani and Indian troops skirmished and exchanged small arms fire at multiple positions along the line of control.[154][155]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Dozens killed as gunmen massacre tourists in Kashmir beauty spot". Esha Mitra, Mukhtar Ahmad, Aishwarya S Iyer, Kara Fox and Jessie Yeung. CNN. 22 April 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Danish Manzoor Bhat, Kashmir Massacre: Trump, Putin, Iran, Israel Condemn Jihadist Attack on Hindu Tourists, Newsweek, 22 April 2025. Updated 23 April 2025. "Witnesses reported the assailants shouted Islamic slogans and specifically targeted people who appeared to be Hindu."
  3. ^ a b c d "'Act of war': What happened in Kashmir attack that killed 26 tourists?". Al Jazeera English. 23 April 2025.
  4. ^ a b c Shilpa Jamkhandikar (23 April 2025). "What is The Resistance Front, the militant group linked to Pahalgam attack?". Reuters.
  5. ^ a b Mashal, Mujib; Raj, Suhasini (23 April 2025). "India Takes Aim at Pakistan After Slaughter of Civilians in Kashmir". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. A list of the victims circulating online, which was verified by local officials in Kashmir, showed that 25 of the 26 killed were Hindus.
  6. ^ a b Raj, Suhasini; Mashal, Mujib (23 April 2025). "Killing of Civilians Near Pahalgam in Kashmir Shatters Illusion of Calm". The New York Times. witness accounts in Indian media suggested Hindus had been singled out by the militants
  7. ^ a b c d "Indian survivors of Kashmir attack say gunmen asked if they were Hindus and opened fire". AP News. 30 April 2025. Indian survivors of Kashmir attack say gunmen asked if they were Hindus and opened fire
  8. ^ "Pahalgam: Rage and grief after 26 killed in Indian-administered Kashmir". BBC. 23 April 2025. Most of the victims were Hindu men
  9. ^ Singh, Vijaita. "Pahalgam terrorist attack: Terrorists mingled with crowd, herded them towards armed members who killed tourists at Baisaran". The Hindu.
  10. ^ a b "LASHKAR-E-TAYYIBA". un.org.
  11. ^ a b c d e Sharma, Yashraj (23 April 2025). "What is The Resistance Front, the group claiming the deadly Kashmir attack?". Al Jazeera. opposed the granting of residency permits to "outsiders", who critics say could help India change the demography of the disputed region
  12. ^ a b "'False, hasty & part of an orchestrated campaign': LeT terror proxy TRF backtracks; denies responsibility of Pahalgam attack". The Economic Times. 26 April 2025. ISSN 0013-0389.
  13. ^ a b Basak, Saptarshi (11 October 2021). "The Resistance Front: The Invisible, LeT-Backed Outfit Terrorising Kashmir". The Quint.
  14. ^ a b "Terrorists were wearing camouflage outfits, carried M4 carbine, AK-47s, fired 70 rounds: Initial probe". The Indian Express. 23 April 2025.
  15. ^ a b Singh, Vijaita (23 April 2025). "Pahalgam terror attack: Terrorists asked name and religion of male tourists, shot them, says survivor". The Hindu.
  16. ^ a b c Bukhari, Fayaz (23 April 2025). "Militants in Indian Kashmir segregate men from women and children before opening fire". Reuters. When the militants reached their tent, Asavari said they asked her father, Santosh Jagdale, to come out and recite an Islamic verse.
  17. ^ a b c "5 Killers, 3 Spots, 10 Minutes Of Heavy Fire: How Pahalgam Attack Unfolded". NDTV.
  18. ^ a b c "Pahalgam pony operator dies protecting tourist, tackles armed terrorist". Business Standard. 23 April 2025.
  19. ^ a b Sharma, Yashraj (25 April 2025). "'We're cursed': Kashmiris under attack across India after Pahalgam killings". Al Jazeera.
  20. ^ a b Masood, Salman. "Crisis Deepens for India and Pakistan Over Kashmir Attack". The New York Times. The New York Times.
  21. ^ "Statement by Foreign Secretary on the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS)". mea.gov.in.
  22. ^ "Pakistan closes air space for Indian airlines, warns against water treaty violation as ties plummet". Reuters. Asif Shahzad, Ariba Shahid and Fayaz Bukhari.
  23. ^ "India closes airspace to Pakistan airlines as tensions rise". Reuters.
  24. ^ "India bans all imports from Pakistan amid tensions over Pahalgam attack". Nandini Singh. Business Standard. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  25. ^ "India imposes ban on Pakistani ships amid rising tensions". The Economic Times. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  26. ^ "India suspends exchange of all categories of mail, parcels from Pakistan through air and surface routes". The Economic Times. Retrieved 3 May 2025.
  27. ^ Sirrs (2016), (p. 157) "Under the proposed deal, ISI would provide money, trainers and camps in return for [Jamaat-e-Islami] recruits, intelligence assets, propaganda, fundraising and other political support."; (p. 158) "Yet these differences were set aside, and in 1986 an agreement was finally reached between ISI and the JKLF.".
  28. ^ Kiessling (2016), p. 193: "[JKLF] was replaced by the Hizbul Mujahideen (Party of the Holy Fighters), created in Pakistan in 1989. This became the militant arm of the Pakistani Jamaat-e-Islami (JI, Islamic Party), which vehemently demanded the annexation of Kashmir to Pakistan.".
  29. ^ Fair (2014), Chapter 1: "Because Pakistan relies upon a menagerie of Islamist militant groups—for example, Afghan Taliban, the Haqqani Network, Lashkar-e-Taiba (also known as Jamaat-ud-Dawa and the Filah-i-Insaniat Foundation), and Jaish-e-Mohammad—as instruments of foreign policy toward India and Afghanistan, the United States has periodically considered declaring Pakistan to be a state sponsor of terrorism.".
  30. ^ Snedden (2013), p. 195: "Brian Cloughley, an expert on the Pakistan Army, is unequivocal: 'Pakistan, never loath to capitalise on India's discomfort or difficulties, took the opportunity, through the army, to foster various groupings that were intent on creating mayhem on the Indian side of the Line of Control. Their efforts grew, year by year, and there was no doubt they had official backing from within Pakistan'.".
  31. ^ "Rights Abuses Behind Kashmir Fighting – Human Rights Watch". hrw.org. 16 July 1999.
  32. ^ "83,742 domicile certificates granted to non-locals in 2 years: J&K govt". The Hindu. 10 April 2025. According to data shared with the Rajya Sabha in 2021, as many as 185 non-locals bought land in J&K since the Centre abrogated provisions of Article 370 in 2019
  33. ^ "12.5 lakh domicile certificates issued so far in J&K: Govt.", The Hindu, 2 September 2020, [A government spokesman] said 11,398 West Pakistan refugees, 415 Valmiki community members, 10 Gorkha community members and 12,340 registered migrants have been issued the certificates so far.
  34. ^ Beg, Mirza Saaib (30 May 2020). "J&K's New Domicile Order: Disenfranchising Kashmiris, One Step at a Time". The Wire (Opinion). All these initiatives have sparked fears of demographic change, militarised settlements, dispossession and alienation of land in Kashmir.
  35. ^ "From Domicile to Dominion: India's Settler Colonial Agenda in Kashmir". Harvard Law Review. May 2021.
  36. ^ Luv Puri, Brutal interruption, The Telegraph (India), 2 November 2021. ProQuest 2590738085 "After the changes brought about by the abrogation of Article 370, mass-scale hysteria about the possibility of a demographic change has swept the Valley."
  37. ^ "The Resistance Front (TRF) - Jammu & Kashmir". Terrorism Research & Analysis Consortium. In 2020, it is believed that Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) established The Resistance Front (TRF) as a proxy organization. The group was one of five organizations to appear in Jammu and Kashmir that year ...
  38. ^ "What is The Resistance Front, responsible for killing of 3 security officers in J&K?". Firstpost. 14 September 2024.
  39. ^ "Lashkar-e-Taiba". Stanford University. 30 January 2016.
  40. ^ Joy, Shemin (6 January 2023). "Centre bans LeT's proxy outfit 'The Resistance Front'". Deccan Herald.
  41. ^ a b "Positioning The Resistance Front (TRF) in Kashmir's militancy landscape". Observer Research Foundation. 15 December 2021.
  42. ^ Mir, Shakir (26 June 2021). "Why Militants Are Turning to Srinagar – Again". The Wire.
  43. ^ Soutik Biswas, Deadly Kashmir attack risks India military escalation against Pakistan Archived 25 April 2025 at the Wayback Machine, BBC News, 25 April 2025.
  44. ^ a b Chietigj Bajpayee, The Kashmir attack will renew hostilities between India and Pakistan Archived 25 April 2025 at the Wayback Machine, Chatham House, 25 April 2025.
  45. ^ NIA probes 26/11 attack plotter Tahawwur Rana's link to Pahalgam terror attack Archived 24 April 2025 at the Wayback Machine, The Economic Times, 24 April 2025.
  46. ^ Vappala Balachandran, Before Pahalgam: What past attacks tell us about the convoluted logic of terror: None Archived 29 April 2025 at the Wayback Machine, The Indian Express, 25 April 2025. ProQuest 3194470933
  47. ^ Farhat Javed, Pakistan army chief's Kashmir remarks cause anger in India, BBC News, 30 April 2025. ' "It felt like his arrival moment. A declaration that he's now firmly in control, that Pakistan's direction is once again in the army's hands," [Mr Basit] adds.'
  48. ^ Gowhar Geelani, Pahalgam wraps Kashmir in pall of gloom Archived 27 April 2025 at the Wayback Machine, Frontline, 24 April 2025.
  49. ^ Ayesha Siddiqa, Pahalgam is helping Pakistan army become nation’s saviour again, regain lost image Archived 27 April 2025 at the Wayback Machine, The Print, 25 April 2025.
  50. ^ Nayanika Sengupta, ‘Different from Hindus': What did Pakistan Army chief say days before Pahalgam horror Archived 24 April 2025 at the Wayback Machine, Hindustan Times, 23 April 2025.
  51. ^ [47][6][48][44][49][50]
  52. ^ Gupta, Shishir (8 May 2020), "New J&K terror outfit run by LeT brass: Intel", Hindustan Times
  53. ^ a b Mogul, Rhea; Iyer, Aishwarya; Saifi, Sophia (24 April 2025). "A tourist massacre in Kashmir is escalating tensions between India and Pakistan. Here's what we know". CNN.
  54. ^ "Probe indicates 5 terrorists, including 3 from Pakistan, behind Pahalgam attack". The Indian Express. 23 April 2025.
  55. ^ "Rough terrain, no security: Why attackers chose Pahalgam's Baisaran". India Today. 23 April 2025.
  56. ^ More, Manoj Dattatreya (23 April 2025). "Saw no security personnel from Baisaran to Pahalgam during J-K visit: Pimpri tourists". The Indian Express.
  57. ^ "Gunmen kill at least 26 in Indian-administered Kashmir: Police". Al Jazeera. 22 April 2025.
  58. ^ "Pahalgam terror attack: Tourist's video of zipline ride captures moment of attack". The Hindu. PTI. 29 April 2025. ISSN 0971-751X.
  59. ^ Ashiq, Peerzada (23 April 2025). "Hundreds join pony driver's last rites, co-workers recall his attempt to stop one of the attackers in Pahalgam". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X.
  60. ^ "Syed Adil Hussain: Hero Pahalgam pony ride operator who tried to stop terrorist". India Today. 23 April 2025.
  61. ^ "'They asked Hindu men to separate from Muslim men': Pahalgam terror attack survivor". Hindustan Times. 24 April 2025. asked the Hindu men to separate from the Muslim men
  62. ^ Arora, Mansi (22 April 2025). "'Asked to recite Islamic verse': Tourists recall horror after Pahalgam terror attack". Wion.
  63. ^ Malpani, Mehul (24 April 2025). "15-year-old boys among the attackers, says Pahalgam victim's son". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X.
  64. ^ "Pahalgam attack: New images show execution-style killings of tourists". The Hindustan Times. 25 April 2025.
  65. ^ "'Go tell this to Modi', Pahalgam attacker told me after killing my husband: Karnataka survivor – 'Go tell this to Modi', Pahalgam attacker told me after killing my husband: Karnataka survivor". Business Today. 22 April 2025.
  66. ^ "Terrorists cursed Modi, asked my father to recite Islamic verse before shooting him: Daughter". The Hindu. 23 April 2025.
  67. ^ a b "'Was 1st to be shot; others got chance to escape': Pahalgam attack victim Shubham Dwivedi's wife seeks martyr status for him". The Times of India. 28 April 2025. ISSN 0971-8257.
  68. ^ "Pahalgam terror attack: Swiss visa rejection led newly-wed Naval officer to a nightmare honeymoon in Pahalgam". The Hindu. 23 April 2025. ISSN 0971-751X.
  69. ^ "'We were eating bhel puri when they suddenly emerged, said he's not Muslim': Wife recalls moment Lt Vinay Narwal was shot in Pahalgam". The Times of India. 25 April 2025. ISSN 0971-8257.
  70. ^ "Terrorists asked my father to recite Islamic verse before shooting him: Pune businessman's daughter". The Indian Express. 23 April 2025. Terrorists asked my father to recite Islamic verse before shooting him
  71. ^ Eenadu News Desk, ed. (25 April 2025). "Pawan Kalyan: pahalgāṁ dāruṇānni āṁdhrapradēś marcipōdu" Pawal Kalyan:పహల్గాం దారుణాన్ని ఆంధ్రప్రదేశ్ మర్చిపోదు. Eenadu (in Telugu).
  72. ^ Kaur, Arshdeep (23 April 2025). "Pahalgam terror attack: How a Hindu Brahmin survived by reciting Kalima, the Islamic prayer; 'When I started...'". Mint.
  73. ^ Express New Service, ed. (23 April 2025). "Said he was a Christian, was shot dead: Pahalgam terror victim's family recounts final moments of horror and heartbreak". The New Indian Express.
  74. ^ Kotwal, Karishma (25 April 2025). "'You know about Palestine, right?':Pahalgam terrorists took selfies with bodies, recalls Indore survivor". Times of India.
  75. ^ a b ""Said He Was Christian, Shot Dead": How Indore Man Was Killed In Pahalgam". NDTV.
  76. ^ a b Express Web Desk, ed. (24 April 2025). "They went for vacation, returned in coffins: Full list of victims of the Pahalgam terror attack". Indian Express.
  77. ^ Bhisht, Shilpa (23 April 2025). "When Baisaran Turned into a Valley of Horror: All You Need to Know About India's Mini Switzerland". News18.
  78. ^ "Pahalgam bloodbath: Navy officer, bank manager, techie and more; how innocent tourists became victims of terror (photos)". The Times of India. 23 April 2025. ISSN 0971-8257.
  79. ^ Kaiser, Ezaj (23 April 2025). "Kashmiri trader saves four families from Chhattisgarh during Pahalgam terror attack". The New Indian Express.
  80. ^ Khosa, Aasha (24 April 2025). "Nazakat saved 11 tourists from Chhattisgarh amid Pahalgam attack". Awaaz The Voice.
  81. ^ Zargar, Anees (23 April 2025). "'I only thought of the injured': Ponywalla rushes to save lives after Pahalgam carnage". The News Minute.
  82. ^ Chauhan, Bala (25 April 2025). "Gurudwaras in Srinagar throw doors open for panic-sticken tourists". The New Indian Express.
  83. ^ "Pahalgam attack: Kashmiri Gurudwaras open doors to tourists". 23 April 2025.
  84. ^ "J&K: Tourist Killed, Several Hurt in Attack on Pahalgam Health Resort". The Wire. 22 April 2025.
  85. ^ "Pahalgam attack live updates: At least 12 tourists injured, multiple deaths feared". The Hindustan Times. 22 April 2025.
  86. ^ "Pahalgam Terror Attack: Army, CRPF, J&K Cops Cordon Area, Search Operations On". India Today. 23 April 2025.
  87. ^ "Pahalgam terror attack LIVE: PM Modi to return to India cutting short Saudi Arabia visit; Navy Officer among 26 killed". The Hindu. 22 April 2025.
  88. ^ "Who was Havildar Jhantu Ali Shaikh martyred in Udhampur ops?". The Statesman. 24 April 2025.
  89. ^ "Pahalgam attack: India hunts suspects days after Kashmir killings". www.bbc.com. 28 April 2025.
  90. ^ "Homes destroyed and 1,500 detained in Kashmir as India cracks down following attacks". opb.
  91. ^ "At least 20 feared killed in militant attack on tourists in Indian Kashmir, security sources say". CNBC. 22 April 2025.
  92. ^ "Pahalgam: What's 'The Resistance Front', LeT 'proxy' behind the deadliest terror attack on tourists in Kashmir?". Live Mint. 22 April 2022.
  93. ^ Who is Saifullah Khalid, alleged mastermind behind J&K terror attack?, Deccan Herald, 24 April 2025.
  94. ^ a b c Luv Puri, Brutal interruption, The Telegraph (India), 2 November 2021. ProQuest 2590738085
  95. ^ Saman Lateef, Militants target non-locals amid tensions over land laws, DW: Deutsche Welle, 19 January 2021. ProQuest 2479053665
  96. ^ Shweta Sharma, Seven civilians dead in a week as Kashmir in spate of targeted killings, The Independent, 7 October 2021. ProQuest 2580186212
  97. ^ "NIA Probe: IG-Led Team Heads to Pahalgam After Deadly Terror Attack". Deccan Herald. 23 April 2025.
  98. ^ "26 Killed In Pahalgam Terror Attack, NIA Team On Site: What We Know So Far". NDTV. 23 April 2025.
  99. ^ "Killers Of Pahalgam: Sketches Of 3 Terrorists Behind Attack Revealed". NDTV. 23 April 2025.
  100. ^ "Sketches of terrorists who killed 26 Pahalgam tourists released". India Today. 23 April 2025.
  101. ^ "Security forces release sketches, photos of terrorists who carried out Pahalgam attack". The Statesman. IANS. 23 April 2025.
  102. ^ Vijaita Singh; Peerzada Ashiq (23 April 2025). "Pahalgam terror attack: Two Kashmiris suspected to be among attackers". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X.
  103. ^ "Digital footprints suggest Pakistan's hand, say investigators". Hindustan Times. 24 April 2025.
  104. ^ "Digital footprints, forensics link Pahalgam attack to Pakistan safe houses". India Today. 23 April 2025.
  105. ^ Ranjan, Mukesh (2 May 2025). "Pahalgam attack planned by LeT with ISI, Pak Army help: NIA report; 20 Valley OGWs under probe". The New Indian Express.
  106. ^ "Pakistan's Spy Agency ISI's Key Role In Pahalgam Terror Attack Revealed". www.ndtv.com.
  107. ^ "Anti-Terror Agency NIA Takes Over Pahalgam Case, Meets Victims' Families". NDTV.
  108. ^ "Pahalgam massacre: Pakistani terrorist former para commando, says probe". The Times of India. 29 April 2025. ISSN 0971-8257.
  109. ^ Ranjan, Mukesh (29 April 2025). "Hashim Musa, ex-Pakistan Army Special Forces soldier, prime suspect in Pahalgam terror attack". The New Indian Express.
  110. ^ "Pahalgam attack: Rs 60 lakh reward for leads—Who are the terrorists being hunted?". English.Mathrubhumi. 25 April 2025.
  111. ^ "2 Terrorists From Pakistan Among Pahalgam Attackers, Rs 20 Lakh Reward Announced". NDTV.
  112. ^ Mitra, Esha; Ahmad, Mukhtar; Iyer, Aishwarya S; Fox, Kara; Yeung, Jessie (22 April 2025). "Dozens killed as gunmen massacre tourists in Kashmir beauty spot". CNN.
  113. ^ "Decisions Taken At Cabinet Committee On Security Meet: Full Statement". NDTV.
  114. ^ "Indus Waters Treaty paused, no entry to Pakistanis: India responds to J&K attack". India Today. 23 April 2025.
  115. ^ "Pahalgam Terror Attack: Vikram Misri Lists 5 Big Cabinet Decisions After Attack – BT TV BusinessToday". Business Today. 24 April 2025.
  116. ^ "Kashmir attack: India downgrades ties with Pakistan". Deutsche Welle. 24 April 2025.
  117. ^ "India closes main border crossing with Pakistan after Kashmir attack". BBC News. 24 April 2025.
  118. ^ "Union Home Minister Amit Shah Visits Baisaran Meadow, Site Of Attack". NDTV. 23 April 2025.
  119. ^ "Army gives limited permission for grounded ALH Dhruv choppers for counter-terror ops in Srinagar, adjoining areas". The Economic Times. 23 April 2025. ISSN 0013-0389.
  120. ^ Joy, Shemin (25 April 2025). "Pahalgam terror attack: Govt admits authorities were unaware Baisaran Valley was opened for tourists". Deccan Herald.
  121. ^ Singh, Mausami; Sinha, Sahil (24 April 2025). "At all-party meet, government admits to security lapses in Pahalgam: Sources". India Today.
  122. ^ Ashiq, Peerzada (29 April 2025). "48 tourist sites in Kashmir shut amid security concerns after Pahalgam terror attack". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  123. ^ Iqbal, Naveed (29 April 2025). "Pahalgam attack aftermath: Full list of tourist destinations shut in Kashmir". The Indian Express. Retrieved 4 May 2025.
  124. ^ "Tourists flee India-administered Kashmir after deadly attack". France 24. 23 April 2025.
  125. ^ Peerzada, Ashiq (23 April 2025). "Shutdowns, street protests in Kashmir over Pahalgam killings". The Hindu.
  126. ^ "Pahalgam attack act beyond belief, totally unacceptable: Mirwaiz". National Herald. PTI. 25 April 2025.
  127. ^ Hassan, Aakash; Beaumont, Peter (22 April 2025). "At least 26 tourists killed by suspected militants in Kashmir attack". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077.
  128. ^ a b Purohit, Kunal (29 April 2025). "'Traitors': Hate-filled songs target Indian Muslims after Kashmir attack". Al Jazeera.
  129. ^ "'They've known us since we joined college' – In Dehradun, shocked Kashmiri students leave campus following threats & heckling". The Indian Express. 25 April 2025.
  130. ^ "Pahalgam: Kashmiris in India face violence after deadly attack". www.bbc.com. 2 May 2025.
  131. ^ "Kashmiri Student Assaulted At Jamia Millia Islamia, Mess Worker Detained". www.ndtv.com.
  132. ^ "FIR against Hindu Raksha Dal leader who threatened Kashmiri students in Uttarakhand". Hindustan Times. 24 April 2025.
  133. ^ Bajwa, Harpreet (26 April 2025). "Haryana government assures safety for Kashmiri students facing harassment following Pahalgam attack". The New Indian Express.
  134. ^ "'No one stood up for us': 16 shawl sellers leave Mussoorie for Kashmir after 2 are 'assaulted by locals'". The Indian Express. 30 April 2025.
  135. ^ "'They Called Me a Terrorist': Kashmiri Students in Punjab Face Assault After Pahalgam Attack, Forced to Flee". The Wire.
  136. ^ "Don't want people going against Kashmiris: Wife of Navy officer killed in Pahalgam attack". The Siasat Daily. 1 May 2025.
  137. ^ "'Don't target Muslims or Kashmiris': Wife of slain Navy officer Vinay Narwal calls for peace". The News Minute. 2 May 2025.
  138. ^ Menon, ,Aditya; Maseera, Shaik (2 May 2025). "Pahalgam Victim's Wife Gets Hate for Peace Appeal, BJP Ally Member Among Trolls". TheQuint. Retrieved 4 May 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  139. ^ India Today News Desk, ed. (28 April 2025). "Pahalgam Attack Live Updates: Properties of terrorists, their associates in Jammu and Kashmir raided". India Today.
  140. ^ a b c "President Murmu, VP Dhankhar, PM Modi term Pahalgam terror attack shocking, painful". All India Radio. 23 April 2025.
  141. ^ "Prime Minister strongly condemns the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir". Press Information Bureau. 22 April 2025.
  142. ^ "Pahalgam terrorist attack 'much larger than anything seen directed at civilians in recent years': J&K CM Omar Abdullah". The Hindu. 23 April 2025.
  143. ^ "Full support: Opposition backs government's action on Pahalgam terror attack". India Today. 24 April 2025.
  144. ^ "You are ISIS's successors: Asaduddin Owaisi to Pak over Pahalgam terror attack". India Today. 28 April 2025.
  145. ^ "India's neighbours condemn Pahalgam attack". The Hindustan Times. 23 April 2025.
  146. ^ "From Trump to Meloni, how world leaders reacted to 'heinous' Pahalgam terror attack". The Hindustan Times. 23 April 2025.
  147. ^ "Guterres condemns deadly attack in Jammu and Kashmir". United Nations. 23 April 2025.
  148. ^ "Pahalgam massacre: UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres strongly condemns the terror attack". The Hindu. 23 April 2025.
  149. ^ "Pakistans 1st reaction To Pahalgam terror attack, says nothing to do with It". The Tribune. 23 April 2025.
  150. ^ "Pahalgam massacre: In first reaction, Pakistan defends terrorism in Kashmir, says 'locals acting against govt". Firstpost. 23 April 2025.
  151. ^ "Pakistan warns Kashmir row could lead to 'all-out war' with India". Sky News. 24 April 2025.
  152. ^ "Pakistan to respond to India's actions comprehensively: Dar". Samaa. 24 April 2025.
  153. ^ "Pakistan suspends visas for Indians after deadly Kashmir attack on tourists". BBC. 24 April 2025.
  154. ^ "Pakistan's 'Speculative Firing' Across Line Of Control, India Retaliates". NDTV.
  155. ^ "Border Tensions Update: Indian Army Responds to Pakistan Firing at LoC". Deccan Herald.

Bibliography

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=2025_Pahalgam_attack&oldid=1288882364"