Bengaluru: Expressing deep sorrow over the loss of lives in the terrorist attack in Jammu & Kashmir's Pahalgam, noted Islamic scholars and community leaders from Karnataka termed the incident a 'brutal and senseless act of violence'.
At a press conference in Press Club of Bangalore, the Muslim leaders expressed condolences to the bereaved families of 26 victims from 12 different states, who were shot dead by the terrorists. At the same time, they have demanded a thorough investigation into the alleged security lapses that led to the tragedy.
Maulana Dr Maqsood Imran Rashadi, a senior cleric, questioned the absence of security personnel at Baisaran valley, despite it being one of the major tourist destinations of Kashmir. "How is it that there were no security forces or Army personnel in and around the spot?" he asked. "This horrifying incident is unacceptable and unpardonable. Terrorism must be condemned in the strongest terms," he said.
Voicing similar opinion, Mufti Iftekhar Qasmi described the attack as 'a black spot on the nation', and said, "Such incidents bring pain and shame to the nation. It must be investigated how terrorists managed to enter with weapons and roam around freely."
He also highlighted the case of a Muslim tourist, Aadil, who reportedly tried to snatch weapon from a terrorist and was eventually killed in the process. "Why was there no help for him for over an hour? Who is responsible for this apathy?" he asked.
Demanding adequate compensation for the victims' families, Maulana Shabbir Nadvi said that terrorists must be brought to justice. "We demand a compensation of at least Rs 1 crore for kin of each deceased. We extend our deepest condolences and call for concrete action to prevent such tragedies in the future," he stated.
Community leader Zulfikhar Noori, on the other hand, warned against communal polarisation in the aftermath of the terrorist attack. "This is not just an attack on tourists, it's an attack on our nation's integrity. Some forces are trying to defame the Muslim community and divide the country. We must resist this," he said firmly.
Meanwhile, Maulana Aejaz Nadvi and Maulana Shah Wajid condemned several sections of the media for allegedly blaming the Muslim community. "An unbiased investigation should be carried out. If this government claims to be strong, it must explain how such an attack occurred under its watch," said Wajid.
In the end, cleric Usman Sharif called for unity and said, "Those behind the violence must be punished. India should send a strong message that it will not tolerate attacks on its people."
