Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Apr 24: Several Muslim organisations from Karnataka have strongly condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir, and extended their full support to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in ensuring that those behind the attack are brought to justice.
Speaking to the media, Hazrat Moulana Mufti Iftekar Ahmed Qasmi, president of Jamiat Ulama-e-Hind, Karnataka, said, “We stand united with the country and the Prime Minister. We support any firm action he takes. The perpetrators must be punished severely. At the same time, there must be a serious investigation into the security lapses that allowed this attack to occur.”
Qasmi noted that every citizen, regardless of faith, is valuable to the nation. “We see humanity beyond religion. The loss of lives in Pahalgam has shaken the nation. The attack also raises questions about our intelligence and preparedness. This is a failure of the system. It’s a sensitive region, and proper precautions should have been in place.”
He added that while some action has already been initiated, stricter measures are expected in the days to come.
At a press conference held at the Bengaluru Press Club, Moulana Mohammed Maqsood Imran Rashadi, chief imam of Bengaluru’s Jamia Masjid, urged the Union government to provide compensation of Rs 1 crore to each victim’s family along with government jobs and support.
“This was a horrific act of terror that has pained the entire country. The guilty must be dealt with so strongly that no one dares to commit such crimes again. We want to make it clear that terrorism has no religion,” he said.
Rashadi, who has previously visited Pahalgam, expressed shock at the attack despite the heavy military presence in the area. “There are checkpoints and constant security. How could such an attack still happen? This must be investigated thoroughly.”
He questioned how the terrorists managed to infiltrate and carry out the attack undetected. “Reports say there are over eight lakh security personnel in the region. Yet, the attackers succeeded and fled. This is deeply distressing,” he said.
At least 26 tourists were killed on Tuesday when heavily armed militants opened fire indiscriminately at civilians in Baisaran, near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. Most victims were on horseback, visiting the popular tourist spot located 3–4 km from the main market area.
Prime minister Narendra Modi returned early from his Saudi Arabia visit following the attack and held a high-level review with NSA Ajit Doval, external affairs minister S Jaishankar, and foreign secretary Vikram Misri. He condemned the attack and reaffirmed the country’s determination to bring the culprits to justice.