Terrorism in Kashmir Was Designed to Stop Progress. It Failed.

By John Spencer

On April 22, 2025, gunmen attacked a group of civilians in the scenic town of Pahalgam, Kashmir, killing 26 and wounding at least 17 others. The victims were pilgrims, tourists, and local residents. The massacre shocked India, triggered a brief war with Pakistan, and briefly made international headlines. But what got less attention was why the attack happened and what it reveals about the strategic nature of modern terrorism.

While every terrorist attack has its own circumstances, the broader pattern in this region is disturbingly familiar. For more than twenty years, India has faced repeated assaults by Pakistan-based militant groups. These attacks are not random. They are often timed and targeted to provoke a crisis, halt economic progress, and inflame religious tensions. Major incidents include the 2001 attack on India’s Parliament, the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed over 170 people in hotels and train stations, the 2016 assault on an army base in Uri near the Kashmir border, and the 2019 suicide bombing of Indian paramilitary forces in Pulwama. Each followed the same playbook: high-profile violence, civilian or military targets, and a pattern of denial or deflection by those responsible. The massacre in Pahalgam fits that pattern—but it also intensified it.