Kashmir is in a climate of crisis, and for the past so many decades at that. By stating so, one is in no way referring to a situation where there are serious problems arising from changes in the world’s climate, particularly those related to global warming and its impacts. No, this has got more to do with the turbulent ‘weather’ that hovers around the region in the form of terror attacks and other subversive acts and the lash back in their aftermath raining down torrents of misery for the residents when least expected.
But quite unlike the fickle weather the Kashmir Valley is renowned for, the turbulence that describes the region has got much to do with the uncertainties that plague it in almost every aspect of its existence. The uneasy calm that lies over the region suggests a sense of unease and apprehension as if peace in the valley is fragile and could be disrupted any moment.
It is, however, a fitting description of the situation in the Valley characterised by a period of relative peace followed by a significant event catapulting the whole territory to global attention.
Over the past few decades, the people of Kashmir have been living in a state of permanent dread, bearing the brunt of the skirmishes between security forces and insurgents leading to disastrous consequences, often with serious repercussions. It is as if Amir Khusrau’s ‘Paradise on Earth’ is condemned to ‘eternal damnation’, where the perception of peace is like a hallucination that fades away.
Moreover, with Kashmir serving to be of strategic importance due to its role in the political and military landscape not only for India but a host of other ‘entities’ having vested interests in the region, it is but natural that the region is divided by conflicting loyalties.
Having lived through years of terrorism, counter-terrorism and alleged human rights violations, apparently Kashmiris have abjectly surrendered themselves to a mute existence unaffected by the manner in which their land has virtually turned into a ‘playground’ for national and international political manoeuvrings, significantly impacting the South Asian subcontinent.
However, the Pahalgam attack came like a bolt from the blue for India! On April 22, 2025, in a terrorist attack on tourists at Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam in the Anantnag district, six terrorists indulged in an orgy of massacre, gunning down twenty five tourists and a local pony rider, besides injuring several others.
But as an attack that was much larger than anything the Valley has seen directed at civilians in recent years, are we witnessing a new trend where henceforth ends will justify the means adopted for ‘highlighting’ problems in the lush and awesomely beautiful land! Nevertheless, as a region that attaches much importance to tourism for its sustenance, the enormity of the whole situation is yet to sink in.
Even amid Kashmir’s unrest, direct attacks on tourists have been rare. The Pahalgam attack is bound to be seen as a devastating blow to the industry, potentially leading to significant decline in tourism. Besides the economic hardship for locals dependent on the tourism sector, it is the potential shift in the perception of the region’s safety which will be a big drawback for the state. But has it really!
Even before the furore over the killings of tourists could simmer down, tourism in Pahalgam had ‘revived’ after a temporary hiatus with visitors thronging the scenic streets of the resort town. While the immediate diplomatic retaliation by the Indian government against Pakistan served to lift up the morale of a dejected nation, the realisation that the perpetrators of the dastardly act are still at large is not too comforting.
The bloodshed at the meadows, however, brings about notions of something more sinister at play with subtle details of the mayhem forcing one to think of other possibilities which could explain the paradigm shift from the ‘usual pattern’ of terror attacks.
The logic behind tagging Pakistan for every possible act of terror in the country is not unjustified either. The Indian government’s efforts at tracking down the terror-mongers for their inhuman acts and successfully bringing them to justice have won the country appreciation from the global community.
The ‘surgical strikes’ carried out earlier on militant launch-pads in Pakistan territory inflicting significant casualties on the enemy spoke of a daredevilry which stemmed from a strong wish to retaliate against the aggressive approach of the hostile neighbouring nation. The subsequent diminishing frequency of forays by insurgents in the region did instil a surge of hope among the local populace.
In any case, suggestions of normalcy having returned to the Valley are being dismissed as myths. For that matter, the claustrophobic tension of living under siege seems to have taken its toll on the people of Kashmir. Taking advantage of the fondness shown by India to see a Pakistan hand in every act of terror against it, are we witnessing contrived efforts by homegrown ultras to raise the spectre of a ‘desi’ version of the disgruntlement amongst Kashmiris to an ominous pitch! Threats of the genesis of a new aspect of dissent loom large over the Valley!
(Pachu Menon is a senior columnist and author based in Goa.)
