SRINAGAR: The Forum for Human Rights in Jammu and Kashmir has issued a strong condemnation of the recent terrorist attack in Baisaran valley near Pahalgam, calling it a “heinous communal attack” that claimed the lives of at least 28 people, including both tourists and locals. The incident, which has also left many critically injured, has drawn widespread shock and mourning across Jammu and Kashmir.
In a press statement released on Wednesday, the Forum leader, Radha Kumar, expressed its “deepest sympathy and condolences” to the victims’ families and extended wishes for a full recovery to those injured. The group, comprising former civil servants, judges, military officers, and human rights activists, said it stood in solidarity with the people of Jammu and Kashmir, who observed a day-long shutdown in memory of the victims.
The attack, reportedly claimed by The Resistance Front, an outfit linked to the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has been described by the Forum as a “reprehensible act of terrorism” that endangers not just Jammu and Kashmir but the country as a whole. The statement called upon the Pakistan government to investigate the incident, arrest members of the group, and hand them over to Indian authorities for interrogation and possible prosecution.
Calling for a robust and rights-based response to terrorism, the Forum urged the Prime Minister and the Home Minister to consult with the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as elected representatives, to frame a comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy. It stressed that such a response must “adhere to humanitarian guidelines and safeguard the rights of civilians.”
The statement was signed by Forum co-chairs Gopal Pillai, former Home Secretary of India, and Radha Kumar, a former member of the Centre’s interlocutor group for Jammu and Kashmir, along with several other distinguished members including retired justices Madan B Lokur and Anjana Prakash, former Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao, child rights advocate Shantha Sinha, and senior retired military officials.
