“Pahalgam terror attack an assault on Kashmiriyat”, says AIP’s Khurshid Sheikh

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], April 23 (ANI): Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) leader, Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh, condemned the recent terrorist attack in Pahalgam, calling it not just an act of violence but an attack on “Kashmiriyat”.

“This attack is also an attack on our Kashmiriyat, our hospitality,” Sheikh said. “Some people want to harm our economy and the brotherhood we have here. We want peace and development in Kashmir.”

According to him, the incident was a consequence of a security lapse, and he stated that the party has supported calls for a “bandh” by various organisations to protest the attack.

“We don’t have words to express regret over this incident, which occurred on our land,” Sheikh remarked.

However, he urged people not to judge the overall security situation based on this single incident. “There have been similar incidents before, but that doesn’t mean people can’t come here. We have a greater responsibility to ensure the safety of tourists and non-locals,” he added.

He also emphasised that efforts are being made to ensure that tourism in the valley is not affected.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta expressed remorse over the killing of tourists in the Pahalgam terrorist attack, and held Pakistan responsible for one of the deadliest terror attacks in Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370.

“This is a very sad incident. In the last three months, over 500,000 tourists have visited Kashmir. If we look at all these issues, the situation in Kashmir was very well managed, but this cowardly act by Pakistan is intolerable,” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Gupta told ANI.

Meanwhile, following the terrorist attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday, the political parties as well as traders’ unions in the region have collectively called for a complete shutdown in the valley on Wednesday to show solidarity with the victims’ families and to condemn the attack.

The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) has appealed to the people to make the Bandh a complete success and join in condemning the attack.

In a social media post on X, JKNC wrote, “On the instruction of the Party President, JKNC joins the collective call for a bandh in strong condemnation of the attack”, Pahalgam terror attack. We appeal to the people of J&K to ensure the hartal called by religious and social leaders is a complete success.”