JK Assembly Holds Special Session, Unites to Condemn Pahalgam Attack

The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly also met for a special one-day session on April 28 to condemn en masse the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which left 26 tourists dead. The session had been called by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, during which the legislators had maintained two minutes' silence and also voted for a resolution condemning the "barbaric and inhumane" attack. 

The motion was moved by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, endorsing the victim families and reiterating the government's resolve to eradicate terrorism.

The attack, claimed by the Pakistan-based Resistance Front, targeted tourists in Baisaran Valley, triggering nationwide outrage. The session emphasized enhanced security measures and cross-border counter-terror cooperation, aligning with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vow to deliver the "toughest punishment" to perpetrators. Concurrently, India imposed punitive measures against Pakistan, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, closing the Attari border, and revoking visas for Pakistani nationals.

The Assembly resolution was timed with a security review by Union Minister Jitendra Singh and a discussion between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and PM Modi to gauge operational reactions. 

Another twist saw India ban 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for propagating "provocative narratives" and condemned the BBC for referring to the attackers as "militants" rather than "terrorists." Security forces are on tenterhooks as ceasefire violations along the LoC go on unabated.