Kashmir Newspapers Turn Front Pages Black in Powerful Protest Against Pahalgam Terror Attack
Srinagar – In a bold and symbolic expression of grief and solidarity, several leading newspapers in Jammu and Kashmir turned their front pages black on Wednesday to protest the horrific terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists, a day earlier.
The unified act of mourning by the local press served as a powerful visual tribute to the victims and a condemnation of the senseless violence that struck the scenic hill resort of Baisaran near Pahalgam on Tuesday.
Prominent publications, including Greater Kashmir, Rising Kashmir, Kashmir Uzma, Aftab, and Taimeel Irsha, presented stark black front pages, each featuring striking headlines in white or red text—a symbolic inversion meant to capture the darkness that has once again shrouded the region.
The front page of Greater Kashmir led with the haunting headline:
“Gruesome: Kashmir Gutted, Kashmiris Grieving” in bold white letters against the black background. Beneath it, the subhead “26 killed in deadly terror attack in Pahalgam” appeared in red, reflecting both the bloodshed and the urgency for change.
Accompanying the graphic layout, the paper’s editorial titled “The Massacre in the Meadow – Protect Kashmir’s Soul” lamented the brutality of the attack, calling it a deep wound on Kashmir’s legacy and its aspirations to return to peace and normalcy.
“This barbaric act is not just an attack on innocent lives—it is a targeted strike at the very core of Kashmir’s identity: its heritage of hospitality, its economy rooted in tourism, and its tenuous peace,” the editorial stated.
“The region, long described as a Paradise on Earth, now grieves with a heavy heart.”
The editorial also stressed the strategic failure that allowed terrorists to strike a spot like Baisaran, a high-footfall tourist meadow that is accessible only on foot or horseback, urging security forces to reassess intelligence sharing and coordination.
Calling for stronger preventive measures, the paper advocated for increased vigilance, community involvement, and a united stand against terrorism to prevent such atrocities from recurring.
“Kashmiris have endured the ravages of violence for generations, yet their spirit remains resolute. This tragedy must not deepen divisions—it must rally us together in collective defiance of terror,” the editorial continued.
“The government, law enforcement, civil society, and citizens must work as one. Only through unwavering resolve can we secure Kashmir’s future—one where meadows like Pahalgam once again resonate with joy, not gunfire.”
This visual protest by Kashmir’s media stands not just as a mark of mourning, but as a plea for peace, echoing the region’s longing to restore its lost serenity and safeguard the lives of those who come to experience its bea.ut
