Kashmir organizations call for strike following tourist killings

On Wednesday, travel, tourism, and trade groups, along with a private schools association, called for a strike in Indian-administered Kashmir in response to the killing of 25 tourists and a local resident at a popular tourist destination the day before.

Kashmir’s Grand Mufti Nasir endorsed the strike, which led to a noticeable emptiness at popular tourist locations, most notably at the iconic Lal Chowk, where the clock tower is a favored backdrop for photos and a key attraction in the valley.

On Tuesday, an unknown number of gunmen opened fire in Pahalgam, one of the valley’s most popular tourist destinations, killing several tourists, including an Italian and an Israeli.

A local resident was also killed, and 12 others were injured in the attack, which is likely the first targeting tourists in nearly 20 years. It was the most severe militant attack in the region since the 2018 suicide car bombing in Kashmir that killed nearly 40 paramilitary troops.

Since the Indian government revoked Kashmir’s autonomous status in 2019, the scenic valley has seen a surge in visitors, with tens of thousands of Indian tourists traveling there.

In addition to the strike, thousands of Kashmiris took to social media to voice their sorrow and outrage over the killings. Prominent religious and pro-independence leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq condemned the violence by quoting the Quran: “Killing of one innocent is the murder of entire humanity.“

Reactions from India

India’s Home Minister Amit Shah traveled to Kashmir right after the attack, where he held discussions with the region’s chief minister, lieutenant governor, senior police and army officials and also visited the individuals injured in the assault.

India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short his Saudi Arabia visit. Both have said that those behind the attack will not be spared.

Shah, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha paid tributes to the deceased, whose bodies were brought to the police control room in the capital, Srinagar.

Meanwhile, two suspected militants were killed during an ongoing operation in the northern district of Baramulla on Wednesday, an Indian army statement on X said. The statement said an “infiltration bid was foiled by the security forces.”

India and Pakistan each administer parts of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety.