There is no justification — none — for killing civilians.
The horrific attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, earlier this week, where at least 26 tourists were brutally gunned down, is not just a tragic event to be mourned. It is a brutal reminder of the deadly cost of irresponsible rhetoric.
My thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their loved ones. No grievance, cause, or political ideology can ever justify the slaughter of innocents. Those responsible must be brought swiftly to justice. But as we demand accountability from the perpetrators, we must also confront an uncomfortable truth: words matter.
The seeds of violence are often sown long before the first bullet is fired. They are planted in speeches, broadcast in slogans, and amplified across social media.
Now it is time to calm down the environment and not stoke fires that eventually burn out of control.
In recent months, national leaders on both sides of the Kashmir dispute have escalated their language to alarming heights. A senior Pakistani official described Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein” — a term historically used to suggest an existential claim, a territory that must be severed from India at any cost. Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, invoking equally forceful rhetoric, promised to make Kashmir an “inseparable part of India,” brushing aside the complex realities of the region and its people.
This kind of absolutist, maximalist rhetoric leaves little room for compromise, dialogue, or empathy. It transforms a political dispute into a zero-sum game of survival and conquest. It reduces civilians — the people who live, work, visit, and dream in Kashmir — to collateral damage in a contest of nationalist pride.
When leaders speak this way, they embolden armed groups like The Resistance Front (TRF), which claimed responsibility for this most recent massacre. They create an environment where violence is seen not as a crime, but as a legitimate tool of resistance or retaliation. They erase the humanity of the victims before a single shot is fired.
It is important to be clear: responsibility for murder lies squarely with the killers. But the environment that produces such killers is shaped by those who normalize the language of hate, siege, and existential threat. Words create realities — and when words are weaponized, civilians inevitably suffer.
The tragedy at Pahalgam is even more painful because Kashmir has long been a land of breathtaking beauty, rich culture, and diverse traditions. Tourists once flocked to its valleys to experience what the Mughal emperors called “paradise on Earth.” Even during decades of insurgency, attacks directly targeting tourists have been rare. That this latest assault targeted visitors — families, honeymooners, and elderly retirees — marks a chilling escalation.
The victims were from across India and beyond: a Navy officer on his honeymoon, a retired banker, an accountant, a Gulf returnee, and even a tourist from Nepal. They were not soldiers, not politicians, not settlers. They were ordinary people who became pawns in a violent political theatre they had no part in shaping.
The Kashmir conflict is complicated. It involves deep-rooted grievances, historical betrayals, identity struggles, and legitimate concerns on all sides. But if there is any universal principle that must remain inviolable, it is this: civilians must never be targeted.
We often hear that Kashmir needs justice. That is true. But justice will never be achieved by gunning down the innocent. Justice requires upholding humanity, even when grievances are profound. It requires de-escalating rhetoric, not inflaming it. It requires recognizing that the humanity of Kashmiris — and visitors alike — must never be made expendable.
The first step toward real peace is to reject the logic of total victory that both sides’ political rhetoric promotes. As long as leaders continue to frame Kashmir as a "jugular vein" or "inseparable part," violence will find fertile ground. It is time for leaders — Indian, Pakistani, and Kashmiri — to understand that peace begins with language.
Language that humanizes, not demonizes.
Language that builds bridges, not walls.
Language that mourns every innocent life, no matter their nationality or religion.
Until that happens, tragedies like Pahalgam will remain an ever-present threat — and the paradise that Kashmir could be will continue to slip further from our grasp.
(Faisal Kutty is a Toronto-based lawyer and regular contributor to The Toronto Star. His articles also appear in Newsweek, Aljazeera, Zeteo, and Middle East Eye. You can follow him on X @faisalkutty)