J&K Bar Associations Strongly Condemn Pahalgam Terror Attack, Announce UT-Wide Bandh in Protest

Bar associations across Jammu and Kashmir have expressed strong condemnation of the recent terror strike in Pahalgam that left 26 people dead, including 25 Indians and one Nepalese citizen, and injured at least 17 others. The incident, which occurred on April 22, 2025, is being regarded as the deadliest civilian terror attack in India since the 2008 Mumbai attacks.

The Jammu and Kashmir High Court Bar Association, along with various district and local bar bodies, has called for a complete shutdown (bandh) across the Union Territory. The bandh is aimed at protesting the brutal killings and expressing collective grief and solidarity with the victims and their families.

The militant group “Kashmir Resistance” claimed responsibility for the attack, stating that it was in retaliation against the perceived demographic changes in the Valley—specifically referencing the resettlement of over 85,000 people from outside the region.

Legal associations have urged members of the legal fraternity and the public to support the bandh as a symbolic stand against terrorism and in favor of communal harmony and regional peace. The bar bodies further emphasized the urgent need for strengthened security measures and justice for the affected families.