Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 25: Worshippers at Srinagar’s historic Jamia Masjid today observed a one-minute silence in the memory of the victims of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, which left 26 people dead, including 25 tourists and a local pony operator.
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Delivering the Friday sermon for the first time in over a month, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, who leads prayers at the mosque, condemned the attack and paid tribute to those killed.
Speaking about the attack, Mirwaiz said, “We had to witness a terrifying incident that has left our hearts bleeding. The manner in which a carnage was carried out-more than two dozen people killed after ascertaining their identities and in front of their families-is shocking and chilling beyond belief. We strongly condemn it.”
Mirwaiz linked the grief of the victims’ families to the long history of suffering in Kashmir, noting that Friday also marked the 36th martyrdom anniversary of his father, Mirwaiz Molvi Mohammad Farooq, and 70 others who were killed on the same day.
Highlighting the response of locals during the attack, Mirwaiz said Kashmiris risked their own lives to help victims. “Locals rescued tourists from the spot, even at the risk to their own lives, in which pony operator Adil Hussain lost his life. Others carried the injured on their backs, trekking miles to hospitals. Kashmiris opened their homes, gave food, free taxi rides to airports and other destinations, and offered emotional support to distressed tourists.”
He noted that people across the Valley held spontaneous shutdowns, candlelight vigils, and silent protests to mourn the victims. “The people of Kashmir send a strong message of their total disapproval of such actions and their solidarity and sympathy with the bereaved by standing shoulder to shoulder with them,” he said.
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