NEW DELHI: The front pages of Kashmir’s leading newspapers went black on Wednesday, a stark visual protest against the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 28 people, mostly tourists, and wounded many others.
The coordinated editorial blackout served as a collective cry of anguish and a call for accountability after one of the deadliest attacks in the region in recent years.
English and Urdu dailies, including Greater Kashmir , Rising Kashmir, Kashmir Uzma , Aftab, and Taimeel Irshad abandoned conventional design in favor of a somber black background, with headlines and editorials printed in white and red.
“Gruesome: Kashmir Gutted, Kashmiris Grieving,” read the bold white headline on Greater Kashmir’s cover, followed by a blood-red subhead: “26 killed in deadly terror attack in Pahalgam.”
The paper’s front-page editorial, titled “The massacre in the meadow – Protect Kashmir’s soul,” mourned the loss of innocent lives and warned that the incident had cast a dark shadow over Jammu and Kashmir, a region still striving to reclaim its image as “Paradise on Earth.”
“This heinous act is not merely an assault on innocent lives but a deliberate blow to Kashmir's identity and values — its hospitality, its economy, and its fragile peace. Kashmir's soul stands in unequivocal condemnation of this brutality and offers heartfelt condolences to the victims' families, who sought beauty but found tragedy,” the editorial read.
The piece also raised uncomfortable questions about security lapses, noting that the attackers managed to strike a high-traffic tourist destination, the picturesque Betaab Valley in Pahalgam, accessible only by foot or pony.
“That such an act of terror could be executed in a place with limited access underscores a worrying gap in intelligence and coordination. This must be a wake-up call,” it warned.
Calling for proactive and united efforts to ensure such violence does not recur, the editorial stressed the need for enhanced vigilance, better community engagement, and a decisive crackdown on terrorism.
“Kashmir's people have endured violence for too long, yet their spirit remains unbroken. This attack must not sow division but unite us in defiance of terror,” it read.
“We urge all, government, security forces, civil society, and citizens, to forge a collective front. Only through unwavering resolve can we protect our land’s future, ensuring that Pahalgam’s meadows echo with laughter, not gunfire, and that Kashmir remains a beacon of peace and prosperity.”
The coordinated editorial blackout served as a collective cry of anguish and a call for accountability after one of the deadliest attacks in the region in recent years.
English and Urdu dailies, including Greater Kashmir , Rising Kashmir, Kashmir Uzma , Aftab, and Taimeel Irshad abandoned conventional design in favor of a somber black background, with headlines and editorials printed in white and red.
“Gruesome: Kashmir Gutted, Kashmiris Grieving,” read the bold white headline on Greater Kashmir’s cover, followed by a blood-red subhead: “26 killed in deadly terror attack in Pahalgam.”
The paper’s front-page editorial, titled “The massacre in the meadow – Protect Kashmir’s soul,” mourned the loss of innocent lives and warned that the incident had cast a dark shadow over Jammu and Kashmir, a region still striving to reclaim its image as “Paradise on Earth.”
“This heinous act is not merely an assault on innocent lives but a deliberate blow to Kashmir's identity and values — its hospitality, its economy, and its fragile peace. Kashmir's soul stands in unequivocal condemnation of this brutality and offers heartfelt condolences to the victims' families, who sought beauty but found tragedy,” the editorial read.
The piece also raised uncomfortable questions about security lapses, noting that the attackers managed to strike a high-traffic tourist destination, the picturesque Betaab Valley in Pahalgam, accessible only by foot or pony.
“That such an act of terror could be executed in a place with limited access underscores a worrying gap in intelligence and coordination. This must be a wake-up call,” it warned.
Calling for proactive and united efforts to ensure such violence does not recur, the editorial stressed the need for enhanced vigilance, better community engagement, and a decisive crackdown on terrorism.
“Kashmir's people have endured violence for too long, yet their spirit remains unbroken. This attack must not sow division but unite us in defiance of terror,” it read.
“We urge all, government, security forces, civil society, and citizens, to forge a collective front. Only through unwavering resolve can we protect our land’s future, ensuring that Pahalgam’s meadows echo with laughter, not gunfire, and that Kashmir remains a beacon of peace and prosperity.”
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