PTI
Jammu, April 28: Peoples Conference Chairman Sajad Gani Lone on Monday said that the brutal attack on tourists in Pahalgam has stirred the collective conscience of Kashmiris, who will no longer tolerate violence.
Addressing the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly after it unanimously passed a resolution condemning the April 22 terror attack that claimed 26 lives, Lone stressed the importance of engaging with the people positively rather than resorting to punitive measures.
He pointed out that tourism sustains the livelihoods of many in Jammu and Kashmir, and the cowardly attack was a direct assault on the future of an entire generation.
“We are grateful to the nation, which after 35 years, rose in unison to condemn an attack on our guests,” Lone said.
Setting aside political differences, Lone acknowledged that for decades, violence had found a degree of acceptance in some sections of society. However, he asserted that this acceptance is rapidly declining.
“There was once a social sanctity attached to violence in Kashmiri society. But the overwhelming public outrage after the Pahalgam incident marks the beginning of the end of that mindset,” he said.
He noted that spontaneous protests and demonstrations across the Valley against the attack symbolized a societal shift. “The people have made it clear — violence will no longer be accepted,” Lone declared.
However, he cautioned that changing mindsets rooted in decades of conflict remains a major challenge.
“For law enforcement agencies, one of the biggest hurdles over the past 37 years was distinguishing between innocents and militants. Unfortunately, in many cases, the pursuit of terrorists led to the loss of innocent lives and destruction of villages,” Lone said.
He urged security forces to act responsibly to ensure that their actions do not alienate the population further.
“I make no accusations, but we must ensure that people like Syed Adil Hussain Shah — who laid down his life saving tourists — are nurtured and celebrated. It is ultimately the people of Kashmir who will defeat violence; security forces can only contain it,” he added.
Lone also paid heartfelt tributes to the victims of the Pahalgam attack and praised their families for their restraint, which he said helped prevent a nationwide escalation of tensions. He also lauded the bravery of Kashmiri youths who rushed to aid the injured, risking their own lives.
CPI(M) leader M.Y. Tarigami, while speaking in the Assembly, warned against communal divisions, emphasizing that terrorism has no religion.
“Over the past 35 years, the majority of victims of terrorism in Kashmir have been Muslims. We must not allow vested interests to exploit tragedies to divide us,” he said, urging unity to defeat terrorism.
