By T Navin
The Pahalgam attack on 22nd April 2025 was a tragic incident which claimed 26 lives, mostly Hindu tourists, in Baiwaran valley of Jammu and Kashmir. Terrorists from the group Resistance Front inquired about the identity of the tourists and based on their identity, targeted the men in the families. It was an unfortunate incident both to the lives of the tourists who lost their family members as well as the local Kashmiri families whose livelihoods would be affected due to its effect on tourism for a few months. The act needs to be condemned and has been criticised by wide sections including the civil society in Kashmir.
What followed later after the attacks was a display of humanity by the local Kashmiri Muslims which has caught the attention and been even appreciated by the family members of the victims. Syed Adil Hussain Shah, a 20-year-old Kashmiri pony ride operator and the sole breadwinner for his family, lost his life while protecting tourists during the attack. He was shot at when he attempted to shield a tourist on his horse and even tried to disarm a terrorist by grabbing their rifle.
Drishti Singh, a tourist from Pune, described the exemplary support offered by Kashimiri locals in the wake of the tragedy. She noted that local volunteers came forward to assist affected tourists, providing food, shelter and transportation without charge. Some even offered money to help stranded families return home. Abdul Wahid Malik, a Pahalgam based hotelier and former president of the local hotelier’s guild arranged four rooms at his hotel for a stranded tourist family after the attack. He emphasized that the immediate duty was to ensure their safety, stating, “The attack has devastated us.”
Across Kashmir, locals expressed grief and solidarity through collective action. On April 23, the valley observed a complete shutdown, with businesses and educational institutions closing in protest against the attack. In Srinagar’s Lal Chowk, trade body leaders and political actors held demonstrations with placards reading “Violence will never win.” Mosques across the region offered prayers for the victims, with Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, a prominent religious leader, setting an emotional tone of shared grief and support.
Sajjad Ahmed Bhatt, a mule handler carried the young son of Pallavi and Manjunath Rao, a couple from Karnataka, on his back to safety during the chaos that followed Pahalgam attack. Manjunath Rao, was killed leaving his wife Pallavi and his son, Abhijaya stranded amidst the gunfire. Sajjad hearing the child’s cries and pleading to be saved, lifted the child on his back and ran through the Baisaran meadow to transport him to a hospital in Anantnag approximately 7 km away.
A tour guide named Waheed after hearing gunfire in Baisaran meadow helped transport wounded tourists, including children, on horseback to safety. His emphasis was on saving lives. His quick actions ensured that several injured victims, including those with young families, received timely medical attention.
Abdul Waheed Wani, the president of the Pahalgam Ponywalla Association, coordinated rescue efforts, messaging other ponywallas to join him in evacuating the wounded. He personally helped transport 10 injured tourists on horsebacks to areas where they could be driven to hospitals.
Gurudwaras across Kashmir, supported by local Muslim communities, opened their doors to shelter tourists fleeing the Valley. Local Muslim families provided temporary accommodation, food and emotional support to those traumatized by the attack. These efforts were particularly crucial for families with young children. These acts of kindness helped mitigate the fear and uncertainty faced by visitors.
The humanitarian support extended by Kashmiris was acknowledged by the tourists. Group of tourists from Maharashtra described the effort of Aadil as that of a ‘true saviour.’ One tourist remarked, “His kindness restored our faith in humanity.” Drishti Singh stated, “The way they helped us without expecting anything in return kept humanity alive”. Aarathy Sarath stated that “The locals risked their lives to help us, showing incredible courage and care”. Describing the effort of Musafir and another driver, Sarath stated “they treated me like a younger sister. Kashmir has now given me two brothers”. Pallavi Rao stated “Sajjad saved my son’s life. I can never thank him enough for his courage”.
These humanitarian acts by common citizens need to be told at a time when the polarising forces at both ends of the divide would use every opportunity to divide communities based on identities. The group Resistant Front conducted an inhuman act based on religious identity. Similarly, the news reports are indicating that there is targeting of Kashmiri students in places like Chandigarh, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh, with reports of harassment, assaults, and eviction threats. The forces demonising ‘Kashmiris’ and ‘Muslims’ are on the rise in social media and godi media.
At a time when the divisive forces would try to assert themselves, the stories of selflessness and solidarity, acts of kindness and compassion need to be widely shared. It is necessary to popularize acts of enduring spirit of humanity displayed by Kashmiris. These stories not only bridge communal divides but also remind us that shared grief and kindness can transcend identity-based conflicts. These narratives can counter the rhetoric of hate and division.
While the act of the Terrorist group needs to be condemned, it is important to realise that Kashmir may not be what is shown in ‘Kashmir Files’ but Kashmiriyat as displayed by the acts of locals. This syncretic cultural ethos, rooted in communal harmony, hospitality and sufi-inspired values of compassion, shone through as locals transcended religious divides, offering food, shelter and solidarity to grieving tourists, embodying the enduring spirit of unity and humanity that defines Kashmiriyat.
T Navin is an independent writer
26 April 2025
Source: countercurrents.org