From 22 October 1947 to the Pahalgam Terror Attack
Pakistan-Sponsored Terrorism Still Bleeds Jammu and Kashmir’s Peace and Economy
22/10/2025
By Farooq Ganderbali
Introduction
The date 22 October 1947 will forever remain a Black Day in the history of Jammu and Kashmir. On this day, Pakistan, in a deliberate act of aggression, launched an invasion of the princely state through thousands of armed tribal raiders backed by the Pakistan Army. This was not merely a military operation — it was a planned massacre, an attempt to destroy the very identity and unity of Jammu and Kashmir.
The raiders came under the false banner of “liberators,” but what they brought was death, destruction, and deceit. It was a dark and shameful episode that exposed Pakistan’s expansionist ambitions and its dangerous misuse of religion as a weapon of violence.
The Barbaric Invasion and Human Tragedy
During the tribal invasion of October 1947, Pakistani soldiers and tribal militants carried out unspeakable crimes against innocent civilians. Villages were looted and burned, men were slaughtered, and women were subjected to horrific abuse. Hundreds of Kashmiri women were abducted and sold in markets across Pakistan, while countless families were annihilated in the name of a false “holy war.”
This operation, code-named Operation Gulmarg, was directed by Pakistan’s military establishment with the goal of forcibly annexing Jammu and Kashmir before the Maharaja could decide its future. The land of Sufi saints and peace was turned into a battlefield of barbarity.
This invasion marked the beginning of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism — a policy of exporting death and chaos across borders that continues to this very day. From 22 October 1947 to the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan’s proxy war has claimed thousands of innocent lives and destroyed the economic backbone of Jammu and Kashmir.
Terrorism: The Greatest Obstacle to J&K’s Prosperity
For over seven decades, Pakistan-sponsored terrorism has crippled the economy of Jammu and Kashmir.
Thousands of crores in economic losses have been suffered due to recurring terror incidents, shutdowns, and destruction of infrastructure.
Tourism — once the lifeline of Kashmir’s economy — has repeatedly been targeted through terror propaganda and violent attacks on tourists, including the recent killings in Pahalgam.
Pakistan-backed terror networks have sabotaged education, pushing generations of youth into darkness through radicalization and fear.
Local industries like handicrafts, horticulture, and trade have suffered immense setbacks due to the instability created by Pakistan’s cross-border terrorism.
Terrorism is not only a security threat; it is a direct economic assault on the aspirations of common Kashmiris. Every attack, every grenade, and every bullet fired from across the border is an attack on Jammu and Kashmir’s peace, progress, and prosperity.
Pakistan’s Radical Designs and Global Deception
Since 1947, Pakistan has used religion as a political weapon — radicalizing youth, spreading hate propaganda, and glorifying terrorists as “martyrs.” It funds and shelters terrorist groups like Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Hizbul Mujahideen, whose only aim is to destabilize Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistan’s military establishment has institutionalized terrorism as an instrument of foreign policy. It runs a global disinformation campaign through fake social media accounts and lobby groups to portray terrorists as “freedom fighters” while hiding its crimes against humanity.
Every drop of blood spilled in Jammu and Kashmir — from Kupwara to Pulwama, Anantnag to Pahalgam — is on Pakistan’s hands. It is time the international community holds Pakistan accountable for seven decades of organized terror, narcotics smuggling, and human rights violations in the region.
Accession Day – The Dawn of Freedom and Unity
The barbaric invasion of October 1947 forced Maharaja Hari Singh to seek India’s help. On 26 October 1947, he signed the Instrument of Accession, making Jammu and Kashmir a legal and constitutional part of the Union of India.
Every year, Accession Day is celebrated across Jammu and Kashmir as a symbol of freedom, democracy, and unity. Today, the people of Jammu and Kashmir proudly identify as citizens of a vibrant, secular, and democratic India, enjoying rights and opportunities that are unimaginable in Pakistan.
Unlike Pakistan’s military dictatorship, where the Army controls politics, media, and religion, Kashmiris in India live freely — voting in record numbers and actively participating in governance. This faith in India’s Constitution is the biggest rejection of Pakistan’s propaganda.
A New Era After the Abrogation of Article 370
The abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019 was a turning point in Kashmir’s modern history. It ended decades of political manipulation and opened the door to a new era of peace, infrastructure, and investment.
New highways, tunnels, and rail projects are connecting even remote villages.
AIIMS, IITs, and universities have made quality education accessible to all.
Record-breaking tourism numbers prove that the valley’s real strength lies in peace, not propaganda.
Youth from Jammu and Kashmir are now excelling in startups, civil services, and entrepreneurship, rejecting separatism and embracing opportunity.
This transformation is the true answer to Pakistan’s lies — development defeating destruction, and hope defeating hate.
Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK): The Unfinished Chapter
While Jammu and Kashmir flourishes under democracy, the people of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) suffer under oppression, censorship, and poverty. There is no democracy, no development, and no dignity — only exploitation by Pakistan’s Army and political elite.
The people of PoK are now rising in protest against Islamabad’s corruption and military occupation. The dream of a united Jammu and Kashmir under the Indian flag remains alive and unstoppable.
The People’s Will for Peace and Progress
Despite Pakistan’s repeated attempts to disturb peace — from the Pahalgam terror attack to the targeted killings of Kashmiri Pandits — the people of Jammu and Kashmir have shown unmatched courage and resilience.
They have made it clear:
> “We choose books over bullets, peace over propaganda, and India over instability.”
The new Jammu and Kashmir stands firm against terror, separatism, and radicalism. The people know that Pakistan’s agenda is to keep Kashmir bleeding, while India’s vision is to see Kashmir blooming.
Conclusion
The invasion of 22 October 1947 was the darkest day in the history of Jammu and Kashmir — a day that exposed Pakistan’s cruelty, hypocrisy, and betrayal. Yet, from that darkness emerged the light of freedom, unity, and democracy under India.
Seventy-seven years later, the world sees the truth: Pakistan’s terrorism is the greatest enemy of South Asian peace. Jammu and Kashmir has moved forward with faith in the Indian Constitution, defeating every attempt of Pakistan to divide or destroy it.
22 October will always be remembered as the Black Day — and 26 October as the Day of Light, Freedom, and Faith in India.
Jammu and Kashmir was, is, and will always remain an inseparable, integral part of India.
(Farooq Ganderbali is the President, Voice for Peace and Justice. He can be reach at [email protected] | 🕊️ Twitter: @farooqgbly)
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