Pahalgam Killings Spark Fear Among Kashmiri Pandit Employees, Prompt Work-from-Home Orders
The recent Pahalgam terror attack has triggered a fresh wave of fear among thousands of Kashmiri Pandit employees working across the Valley, with many choosing not to report for duty.
In response, the government’s education department has issued directives allowing these employees to work from home for their safety.
The Kashmir Pandit Sangarsh Samiti (KPSS), a group representing Pandits who never migrated from the Valley, accused sections of the majority Muslim community of showing “selective outrage” over recent killings.
A union leader representing displaced Pandit employees in south Kashmir confirmed to the media that many Pandits had abstained from work over the last two days due to heightened fear within their community. “All of us decided to stay home.
Naturally, there is anxiety. We are hoping that all government departments will formally issue work-from-home orders,” the leader said.
Approximately 6,000 displaced Kashmiri Pandits, appointed under the Prime Minister’s Relief and Rehabilitation Package, are employed in various government departments across the Valley.
This special recruitment drive was initiated over the past 15 years as part of efforts to encourage Pandit resettlement in Kashmir.
Following the Pahalgam attack, chief education officers (CEOs) in Baramulla and Anantnag districts issued formal orders permitting Pandit employees to work remotely.
In Baramulla, the education department’s directive stated:
“All employees engaged under the PM package are hereby directed to work from home for the week ending Sunday, 27-05-2025. All employees must remain available to perform their duties as required.”
Similarly, Anantnag’s CEO issued a “work from home” order for minority community employees, effective until further notice.
However, shortly after these orders were issued, the government attached both officers — Bashir Ahmad Shah (Anantnag CEO) and Tariq Hussain Tarra (Baramulla CEO) — and replaced them with Kishore Kumar and Ashok K. Raina, respectively.
This isn’t the first time Kashmiri Pandit employees have demanded relocation over security fears. In 2022 and 2023, following a targeted militant killing of a Pandit employee, thousands staged a 10-month-long protest seeking transfer to Jammu.
Their strike ended only after the administration under Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha stopped their salaries and refused to meet their relocation demands.
The Valley has also seen attacks on non-local workers, many of whom chose to stay despite the security threats.
The Kashmir Pandit Sangarsh Samiti has criticized what it calls “selective outrage” from Kashmiri Muslims, pointing out that while Wednesday’s protests against the killing of tourists in Pahalgam saw widespread participation, there had often been silence when Pandits were targeted.
KPSS president Sanjay Tickoo said in a statement:
“The apathy towards Pandit killings starkly contrasts with the visible anger after the Pahalgam massacre. The protests seem more linked to economic concerns given the impact on tourism.”
However, it’s important to note that in the past, sections of Kashmiri Muslims have staged protests and expressed condemnation over the killings of Pandits.
