By Professor Amitabh Mattoo
The recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir — where tourists were deliberately targeted and 26 of them were killed— is more than an isolated tragedy. It highlights once again the persistence of terrorism in South Asia, and the ongoing attempt to destabilise India’s most sensitive region.
The attack occurred in Baisaran, a lush alpine meadow in Pahalgam’s outskirts, known for its serenity, just as Kashmir’s vital tourist season was beginning. It was a calculated act: to spread fear, target livelihoods, and sever Kashmir’s growing reconnection with the rest of India. The Resistance Front (TRF), a relatively new but deadly group linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility. The LET is deeply embedded within Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), and the rebranding of older terror outfits under new names reflects a tactical shift — maintaining old networks while masking accountability.
I believe it is important to place this incident in strategic perspective. Pakistan today is undergoing profound domestic turmoil — an economy in collapse, political paralysis, and growing civil unrest. In such periods of internal instability, its military establishment has historically turned outward, using Kashmir as a convenient battleground to rally nationalistic sentiment and maintain control.
General Asim Munir, Pakistan’s current Army Chief and a former intelligence head, exemplifies this strategy. His toxic rhetoric on Kashmir, combined with the quiet empowerment of proxy groups like TRF, signals a deliberate revival of what security scholars call “managed escalation” — provoking India just enough to cause disruption, but staying below the threshold of open war.
But the Pahalgam attack was not just an act of cross-border terrorism. It was also an attack on the cultural and spiritual foundations of Kashmir. For centuries, Kashmir has embodied a remarkable tradition of pluralism — a shared space of dialogue between Hinduism, Islam, and Buddhism, between Sanskrit and Persian, between temple and dargah. The extremists behind the attack seek to replace this syncretic culture with fear and division as those who targeted Kashmir Pandits, which led to their exodus from the valley!
It is also important to say clearly: the perpetrators violate not just international law, but also the moral tenets of Islam. Islamic ethics condemn the killing of innocents, and place the highest emphasis on hospitality toward guests and travellers. Acts of terror such as this betray the spirit of the very faith these groups falsely claim to represent.
India’s response must be twofold. First, there must be sustained efforts — diplomatic, economic, and covert — to impose real costs on those who support and orchestrate terrorism. Sympathy after attacks is no substitute for steady, strategic deterrence. Second, there must be continued investment in the aspirations of Kashmir’s youth. A peaceful, prosperous Kashmir is the ultimate antidote to extremism.
For Australia, and for all democratic societies, Kashmir’s experience is a timely reminder. The use of terrorism as an instrument of state policy threatens not just one region, but the norms of international order. It is a challenge to the idea that identity can coexist peacefully across cultures and faiths — an idea that lies at the heart of Australia’s own pluralist democracy.
At the Australia India Institute, where I am honoured to serve as a Distinguished Fellow, the imperative is clear: we must foster greater understanding of the forces shaping South Asia, and the shared responsibility to resist those who seek to destroy spaces of dialogue and peace.
The terrorists struck at a place of beauty. Our response must be rooted in strength, justice, and an unwavering commitment to the values that Kashmir — and humanity — have long cherished: harmony, compassion, and resilience.
Professor Mattoo was the founding Director/CEO of the Australia India Institute and served on the Institute’s Advisory Board until 2024.
Picture Source: Dar Yasin/AP Photo