Whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption [done] in the land—it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one—it is as if he had saved mankind entirely
(Quran, 5:32)
Despite facing repeated tragedies, are we really learning anything? Or are we letting the same pattern repeat?
We all saw the gruesome and heinous crime terrorists committed on 22 April 2025—an incident that shook the country to its core, just like Pulwama did years ago. And while fingers are once again being pointed at Pakistan—as they should be, given their long-standing history of sponsoring terrorism and backstabbing our country—we must also reflect on our own government's failures.
Where were the security forces? Jammu and Kashmir is one of the most heavily militarized regions in the world, with over 8 lakh personnel deployed. Yet, there was no adequate security where hundreds, if not thousands, of people visit daily? How is that possible? This wasn’t just an intelligence failure—it was a clear security lapse.
It reminds me of what Satyapal Malik said in an interview with wire ,about the Pulwama attack. He mentioned that the CRPF had asked for aircraft to move their personnel but were denied by the Home Ministry. The area where the convoy was supposed to pass wasn't even properly sanitized. And when the tragedy struck, it was shamelessly used for political gain. We all know how it was portrayed—and how it was used.
And now I fear the same is happening with the Pahalgam massacre. Will this too be forgotten in the pages of history? Will political agendas once again be fulfilled in the shadow of grief?
As a Kashmiri studying abroad, I feel helpless and horrified. I’ve seen videos circulating on social media—friends and contacts from home tell me the same: Kashmiri students are being targeted. I saw a video of the member of Hindu Rakshak Dal giving an ultimatum to Kashmiri's to leave Uttarakhand. These people, , are not condemning the terror—they're using it to spread more terror through hate and threats, they don't care about victim's , they have there agenda which they want to fulfill.
What kind of mental state do you think I’m in, watching all this? And what about the hundreds of students like me, who now feel unsafe just because of where we come from? That too in their own country.
What these people won't show—or choose not to see—is how Kashmiri's are reacting. They won't see Adil Shah, a young Kashmiri who sacrificed his life to save others during the Pahalgam attack. They won't see the Kashmiri's who protested, who distributed food to tourists, who observed a complete shutdown on April 22, marking it as a Black Day. Why? They don't show Or see this because that won’t serve their agenda.
We, the people of India, must come together. We must demand that the government address this seriously and take strict action against the terrorists—without letting hate divide us. And at the same time, we must ensure we don’t become part of any political or communal agenda.
As a Kashmiri, I say this: This is my country as much as it is yours. Whether you believe it or not, I grieve just as much as you do—maybe more.