The Pahalgam terror attack, which occurred on April 22, 2025, in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, stands as one of the deadliest assaults on civilians in the region since the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Five heavily armed militants, reportedly linked to the Lashkar-e-Taiba via its proxy, 

The Resistance Front (TRF), targeted a group of tourists in the secluded meadow, killing 28 people-most of them Hindu tourists, with one Christian and a local Muslim pony operator among the dead. The attackers, armed with AK-47s and M4 carbines, singled out victims by asking their names and religions, and in some cases, demanded they recite Islamic verses to determine their faith before executing them at close range.

Survivors recounted harrowing scenes, including being forced to remove trousers to check for circumcision, and attackers sparing a woman so she could "narrate the horrors" to India's Prime Minister.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) swiftly launched an investigation, with forensic and intelligence evidence pointing toward support from operatives based in Pakistan, including digital traces leading to safe houses in Muzaffarabad and Karachi. Police sketches identified three suspects: Adil Hussain Thoker (an Indian national) and two Pakistanis, Ali Bhai (Talha Bhai) and Hashim Musa, the latter a former Pakistani paramilitary member. A bounty of Rs 60 lakh was announced for information leading to their capture.

The attack triggered a severe escalation in India-Pakistan tensions. India immediately enacted a series of punitive measures: downgrading diplomatic ties, suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, expelling Pakistani military attaches, closing the Attari land border, revoking visas for Pakistani nationals, and shutting its airspace to Pakistani airlines. In response, Pakistan closed its own airspace to Indian airlines, suspended trade, and retaliated diplomatically.

Amid these hostilities, the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) announced a nationwide ban on Indian songs across FM radio stations, a move widely seen as a symbolic gesture of national unity and defiance in the face of Indian accusations and actions.

Indian music, particularly songs by legendary singers like Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar, has long enjoyed widespread popularity in Pakistan, making the ban a notable cultural and political statement. Pakistan’s Information Minister Atta Tarar praised the decision, calling it a "patriotic gesture" that reflected the "collective sentiment of the entire nation" during this period of heightened tension.

Islamabad praised the Pakistan Broadcasters Association for its "patriotic gesture" which it claims "reflects the collective sentiment of the entire nation".

Globally, the attack drew swift condemnation, with world leaders expressing solidarity with India and urging both countries to de-escalate. The incident has not only shattered the sense of security in Kashmir but has also reignited international concerns about stability in South Asia.

The Pahalgam terror attack has deeply scarred the region, led to a rapid deterioration in India-Pakistan relations, and triggered a cascade of diplomatic, strategic, and symbolic countermeasures, including Pakistan’s ban on Indian music-a reflection of the broader, multifaceted fallout from this tragedy.

IT News