Pahalgam attack: Kashmiri Hindus in US call for security overhaul, global attention

Kashmiri Hindus in the US are demanding greater accountability and global awareness following the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 lives.

The diaspora members said the attack on April 22, which occurred during the visit of US Vice President JD Vance to India, has raised serious concerns about lapses in security preparedness and persistent threats to minority communities in Kashmir.

The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Dr Vijay Sazawal, international coordinator of the Indo-American Kashmir Forum (IAKF), claimed that the attack was a preventable tragedy. “Thousands of tourists use this route daily, yet there was no visible security presence on the day of the attack. Despite a high-profile diplomatic visit, basic risk assessments were clearly ignored,” he claimed.

“While attention often centres on cross-border terrorism, there are also internal support structures — overground workers — that quietly sustain militant activity,” Sazawal said, claiming that the “progress against them has been hindered by judicial delays and administrative inefficiencies”.

Dr Subhash Kak, a Padma Shri awardee and an academic based in Oklahoma, said the Pahalgam attack underscores the fact that severing diplomatic ties or curbing trade with Pakistan is not enough.

Amit Raina, a Kashmiri Pandit based in Houston, said, “For many, this was a shocking event. For us, it is a recurring nightmare. The same pattern — Amarnath, Wandhama, Nadimarg — keeps repeating. We’re still waiting for justice.”

The Pahalgam attack drew swift and widespread condemnation from global leaders, who expressed solidarity with India and denounced terrorism. Memorial vigils and community prayer meetings condemning the attack are being held in more than 50 cities across the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia to honour the victims.