In the aftermath of the gruesome terror incident in Pahalgam, India must hear clearly the message emanating from those who committed the heinous crimes. By targeting tourists by religion and killing them in cold blood, the terrorists have sought to undermine India’s plurality and what the country stands for. By killing a local Kashmiri who tried to help the hapless tourists, and by targeting people in a popular location that benefits the Kashmiri economy, the attackers have grievously harmed the livelihoods of thousands of Kashmiris dependent on tourism. By choosing to attack unarmed tourists at a time when the U.S. Vice-President was visiting India, they have also sought to undermine the perception that economic activities had returned to normalcy after the tumultuous period following the abrogation of special status for Jammu and Kashmir. The tragic by-product of the killings is now fear of the possibility that such attacks on tourists may recur, and of the economic pain that this would cause ordinary Kashmiris. New Delhi’s and Srinagar’s responses must keep these in mind and work towards the mitigation of fear and send a clear message — the people of India, including Kashmiris, are united against terror.

Following the attacks, New Delhi has sought to use strong diplomatic measures available in its arsenal against Pakistan, as it is well known that such terror attacks are almost always carried out by radicalised elements who are trained by Islamabad’s covert agencies. As it turns out, the mere absence of spectacular violence cannot be termed normalcy. Normalcy is a relative term and it is better experienced than announced. While the large-scale violence and militancy that was seen in the 1990s never happened despite the unpopularity of these decisions, the uneasy calm was reflected in the sporadic incidents of terrorism targeting Kashmiri Pandits, migrants, and security forces in new areas that were hitherto bereft of militancy. With significant curbs on political activity, there was little outlet even for demands related to governance for the citizenry. The conduct of Lok Sabha elections and the Supreme Court-mandated Assembly election process allowed for some expression of voices in the Valley, but it is a stretch to say that this was “normalcy”. The Union government must work in concert with the Jammu and Kashmir government, empower Jammu and Kashmir by restoring Statehood, and assert this cohesion to isolate radical and violent elements threatening the livelihoods of Kashmiris and the lives of tourists visiting the serene valley.