World Kashmir Awareness Forum Condemns Pahalgam Attack, Calls for Peace, Transparency, and Justice
Washington, DC. April 25, 2025: The World Kashmir Awareness Forum strongly condemns the horrific attack on innocent tourists in Pahalgam in the Indian-occupied Kashmir. Violence targeting innocent civilians is indefensible under all circumstances, says an email message. It adds:
For Kashmiris living under heavy military occupation, this tragic situation raises disturbing questions: How could such an incident occur in a region suffocated by intense military presence and surveillance? Pahalgam, like the rest of Kashmir, is under constant surveillance, with checkpoints, military patrols, and intelligence operations at every corner. The reality of intense military control in every corner of Occupied Kashmir raises uncomfortable doubts about the true nature of this event.
Indian media, as usual, has rushed to assign blame, pointing fingers at the hitherto little-known group— The Resistance Front (TRF). Yet, the supposed claim of responsibility lacks the usual markers—the name, logo, or operational details typically seen in previous TRF statements. Even the BBC has cast doubt on the authenticity of this claim, and yet the Modi regime’s narrative continues to be driven without questioning these inconsistencies.
Meanwhile, the repression of innocent Kashmiri civilians has intensified across Kashmir and even in India:
- Over 1,500 Kashmiris have been detained—but the true number is almost certainly much higher, hidden behind layers of bureaucratic opacity.
- Kashmiri students across India are facing extreme harassment, forced to leave their campuses, and openly threatened.
- Calls for violence against Kashmiris are becoming commonplace, with little to no accountability for those advocating such hate and violence against innocent Kashmiris.
But perhaps the most dangerous development, one that could threaten the peace and stability of South Asia, is India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. This treaty has been one of the few elements of cooperation between India and Pakistan since 1960 under the auspices of the World Bank, ensuring that the lifeline of water continues to flow between the two countries despite ongoing political tension. Suspension of this treaty is a deeply reckless move by the right-wing Modi regime—it jeopardizes the lives of millions in both India and Pakistan, and risks igniting full-scale conflict, including a nuclear conflagration region between the two nuclear powers.
Once again, it is the Kashmiri people who will bear the brunt of this escalation. Whether through water shortages or increased militarization, Kashmiris will continue to suffer the consequences of decisions made by two warring nations. 23 million Kashmiris must not be considered expendable. Kashmiris demand a full, independent and impartial investigation into this horrific attack with loss of innocent lives. Kashmiris want an independent credible third party international investigation, not by the warring parties with long held personal and national motives. The international community must address the underlying causes that make such violence possible in an already heavily militarized zone. We call for the restoration of the Indus Waters Treaty and a commitment to peace, not war, in South Asia. Kashmir cannot remain a pawn in the geopolitical games of neighboring nations and their selfish leaders. Until Kashmiris are free, peace will remain out of reach.
About WKA (the World Kashmir Awareness Forum)
Founded in 2005, the World Kashmir Awareness Forum is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) non-profit organization focused on providing information on the conflict in Kashmir and advocating for Kashmiris in the region and throughout the diaspora. To accomplish its mission, World Kashmir Awareness Forum produces, aggregates and amplifies news articles and events relevant to the region, organizes and participates in demonstrations and rallies, and engages in advocacy efforts with diplomatic, civic, religious, human rights, political and advocacy organizations, confronting the human rights abuses perpetrated in Kashmir and supporting the region’s right to self-determination.
Learn more at kashmirawareness.org
worldkashmirawareness@gmail.com
