Pahalgam terror attack: Special session of J&K Assembly today to condemn killings, highlight Kashmiriyat spirit

An important one-day session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly will be held today in Jammu to condemn the April 22 killings of 26 people in Pahalgam by terrorists, including 24 tourists, a local horse owner, and a Nepali citizen. More than a dozen others were injured.

According to the assembly secretariat, the list of businesses for the special session mentions obituary reference for the victims of the Pahalgam attack, which will be presented by Speaker Abdul Rahim Rather.

The decision to hold the special session was taken on April 23 after the council of ministers, led by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, advised Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to summon the assembly.

Sinha issued the summons on April 25, exercising his powers under Section 18(1) of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019.

During today’s session, the assembly will pay tribute to the civilians killed in the attack, condemn the act of terror, and send a clear message that the Jammu and Kashmir government rejects terrorism and stands firmly with the Centre’s response to the incident.

Political parties across Jammu and Kashmir have strongly condemned the attack. Today’s session aims to show that, despite political differences, all parties in the Jammu and Kashmir government—and the wider public—stand united against terrorism.

On April 24, an all-party meeting was held in Srinagar, where political parties jointly adopted a resolution condemning the Pahalgam attack, describing it as a “barbaric” act and an assault on Kashmiriyat, the spirit of peaceful coexistence.

The meeting, called by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, was held at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) near Dal Lake. It lasted for two hours. Leaders from major parties—including the National Conference, BJP, PDP, Congress, CPI(M), Apni Party, and several smaller regional groups—attended. Ghulam Nabi Azad of the DPAP and Altaf Bukhari of the Apni Party were also present. All parties supported the resolution and pledged full support for the investigation and efforts to bring the attackers to justice.

India