Valley Mourns Pahalgam Attack Victims Amid Rising Reports of Harassment Against Kashmiris

Srinagar: On Friday, mosques across Kashmir observed a minute's silence and held special prayers to mourn the 26 people killed in the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. The assault, which targeted tourists in the scenic south Kashmir town, also left more than a dozen injured and has triggered widespread condemnation across the Valley.
During the Friday sermons, Imams and scholars in major mosques of the Valley condemned the April 22 attack and prayed for the injured. Muslims who gathered in the mosques observed a minute's silence to pay respects to the victims and express solidarity with them. The Imams termed the attack unacceptable and said the people of Kashmir share the grief of the affected families and stand with them. Such acts are against humanity and Islamic teachings, they said.
At many places, people also held protests after the prayers, raised slogans against the attack and demanded that the perpetrators be punished. In Jamia Masjid in Nowhatta here, Kashmir's chief cleric Mirwaiz Umar Farooq said the attack has left people's hearts bleeding.
"The manner in which the carnage was carried out- more than two dozen people killed after ascertaining their identities and in front of their families- is shocking and chilling beyond belief," he said while addressing the Friday congregation.
By observing a complete shutdown and holding spontaneous protests, the people of Kashmir have sent a strong message of their total disapproval of such actions and their solidarity and sympathy with the bereaved, he added.
While Kashmir continues to grieve, reports have emerged of targeted harassment and intimidation of Kashmiri civilians in several Indian states in the days following the attack. Incidents of physical and verbal abuse, eviction, and social exclusion have been reported from Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
In Punjab, Kashmiri students and workers reported being questioned about their identity and ethnicity by unknown individuals. Isolated incidents of slurs and threats have been documented in cities like Jalandhar and Ludhiana. In several cases, students were forced to vacate their rented accommodations following pressure from local residents or landlords.
In Uttar Pradesh, Kashmiri shopkeepers and small traders in towns like Meerut and Lucknow reported being denied service or asked to leave marketplaces. In Uttarakhand, at least a dozen Kashmiri students were reportedly told to vacate hostels and private lodgings. Some of them sought shelter in nearby airports as they attempted to arrange travel back to the Valley.
Multiple civil society groups and student organizations have confirmed receiving distress calls from Kashmiris facing threats and discrimination since the attack. These incidents, unrelated to the perpetrators of the Pahalgam killings, have added to the anxiety and fear among Kashmiri communities living outside the region.