'We must stand as one': A plea for peace after the Pahalgam attack

New Delhi, May 4 (IANS) What was meant to be a moment of joy turned into a lifetime of grief.

Manjunath Rao had come to Pahalgam not as a tourist, but as a proud father. He had come to celebrate his child's recent academic success -- a milestone marked with love, pride, and dreams for the future. The serene valleys of Kashmir, known for their peace and beauty, were supposed to be the backdrop of this cherished memory. But instead, they became the setting for an unimaginable tragedy.

In a cruel twist of fate, terrorists opened fire on a group of unsuspecting tourists, shattering the calm and silencing the laughter that had filled the mountain air just moments before.

Manjunath, along with others, fell to bullets meant for no one -- senseless violence with no reason, no warning, and no justification.

These were not just "tourists". They were parents, children, friends -- ordinary people seeking peace, some perhaps visiting for the first time, others returning for the comfort of the mountains. They came with stories, with dreams, with plans. They never imagined they would become headlines.

Now, families are left grappling with an unbearable void. Dreams have been extinguished in an instant. A child who once looked up to a father for strength and support will now grow up with memories instead of moments.

In this time of collective grief, the official account of the High Commission of India in Islamabad, put it simply but powerfully: "In this moment of sorrow, we must stand as one."

"The targeted killings of the innocent tourists seeking solace in the valleys of #Pahalgam have left a trail of tragedy -- lives lost, families shattered and dreams extinguished," the official X account of India in Pakistan shared this message.

These words must echo beyond borders and beyond politics -- because no parent should bury their child's joy, and no celebration should ever end in mourning.

As we remember Manjunath and all the others whose lives were cruelly cut short, let us raise our voices not just in sorrow, but in unity -- for peace, for justice, and for a world where no innocent life is lost to hatred.

--IANS

brt/khz