Amritsar: Pro-freedom Sikh body Dal Khalsa today issued a strong condemnation of the recent massacre of 25 tourists in the Pahalgam area of Kashmir, asserting that indiscriminate violence against civilians was unacceptable and must never be justified, regardless of the political context or timing.
Dal Khalsa also called upon the international community, especially the United States, to recognise the urgent need for dialogue and diplomacy to address and resolve Kashmir dispute as per people’s aspirations.
“The murder of innocent people is a tragedy that transcends politics. This is not how political grievances and grudges are addressed,” said Dal Khalsa leader Paramjit Singh Mand. “Violence against the common public is morally and strategically flawed.”
The organization extended its deepest condolences to the victims’ families, while drawing parallels to the horrific Chattisinghpora massacre of 2000. “It is deeply troubling that this fresh tragedy coincides with the ongoing visit of U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance—just as the 2000 massacre of 35 Sikhs in Chattisinghpora was timed with President Bill Clinton’s state visit to India,” noted Paramjit Singh Mand.
Dal Khalsa demanded that the United States launch an independent investigation into the Pahalgam killings and urged world powers to pay closer attention to the persistent patterns of violence surrounding high-profile international visits.
“The Chattisinghpora massacre remains unresolved to this day,” said Singh. “Why has the Indian state failed to deliver definitive clarity about the perpetrators, even 25 years later? This silence speaks volumes.”
Calling for a political resolution to the Kashmir conflict, the Dal Khalsa statement stressed that treating complex political issues as mere law-and-order problems is counterproductive. “New Delhi’s approach has been both belligerent and dehumanizing. Curbing dissent, shutting down the internet, imprisoning leaders, and brutalizing entire populations is not democratic governance. It’s coercive rule,” added Paramjit Singh Mand.
The organization also reiterated its concern about India’s growing transnational repression. “Indiscriminate violence, whether by non-state actors or under the garb of state security operations, only perpetuates conflict. A just and lasting peace in Kashmir can only come through respect for the people’s aspirations and adherence to democratic values,” said Paramjit Singh Mand.
