In a grim reminder of the region’s fragile security, suspected terrorists shot dead 45-year-old social activist Ghulam Rasool Magray in his home in Kandi Khas, Kupwara district, late Saturday night.

According to officials, the assailants fired at Magray inside his residence, and despite being rushed to a hospital, he was declared dead on arrival. The motive behind targeting the activist remains unclear, deepening the unease in a region still reeling from the recent Pahalgam terror attack.

Authorities have launched an investigation to uncover the circumstances and perpetrators of this brazen killing.

The murder follows the devastating Pahalgam attack on April 22, which claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists, and was attributed to The Resistance Front, a front for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba. In response, security forces have escalated their crackdown on the terror ecosystem. On Saturday night, officials demolished the homes of three active terrorists across Jammu and Kashmir, signaling zero tolerance for militancy. In Shopian’s Wandina, the residence of Adnan Shafi, who joined terrorist ranks in 2024, was razed. In Pulwama, the house of Amir Nazir met a similar fate, while in Bandipora, the home of Jameel Ahmad Shergojri, a Lashkar-e-Taiba operative since 2016, was reduced to rubble. These actions reflect the government’s resolve to dismantle terror networks in the wake of escalating violence.

The Pahalgam attack has reverberated beyond India’s borders, drawing condemnation from Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during a phone call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, April 26. In a statement shared on X by Iran’s embassy in New Delhi, Pezeshkian labeled the attack “inhumane” and called for regional solidarity to combat terrorism. “Such tragedies compel nations to unite in empathy and cooperation to uproot terrorism and secure lasting peace,” he said. His words underscore a growing international consensus on the need for collective action to address the scourge of militancy, particularly as India-Pakistan tensions flare.

The killing of Magray comes amid heightened India-Pakistan friction, with New Delhi suspending the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty and Islamabad retaliating by closing its airspace to Indian airlines and threatening to suspend bilateral agreements. Cross-border skirmishes along the Line of Control have intensified, with the Indian Army reporting exchanges of fire for two consecutive nights

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge sharply criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday for skipping an all-party meeting in Delhi convened to address the Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people.

Kharge accused the Prime Minister of not treating the tragedy with the seriousness it deserved, pointing out that Modi chose to address an election rally in Bihar instead of attending the crucial discussion.

Speaking to reporters, Kharge revealed that the all-party meeting, attended by himself, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and representatives from various political parties, saw Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, who chaired the session, acknowledge security lapses in the attack.

“I raised the issue of the Prime Minister’s absence right at the start. When 26 lives have been lost and many injured, his absence shows a lack of seriousness,” Kharge said, expressing dismay at Modi’s decision to prioritize a campaign event over national security deliberations.

Kharge lamented the government’s failure to protect citizens despite a three-tier security system in Pahalgam. “Instead of addressing us on how this happened—whether it was a security, intelligence, or police failure—Modi was busy delivering speeches in Hindi and English at a rally,” he remarked.

He disclosed urging Union Home Minister Amit Shah to treat the incident as a challenge and ensure such tragedies are prevented in the future. “Shah assured us that steps would be taken to avoid recurrence,” Kharge noted, stressing the need for robust arrangements.

Emphasizing national unity, Kharge affirmed the Opposition’s support for the government’s decisions in combating terrorism. “We stand together to protect the country. This isn’t the time to pinpoint flaws but to unite,” he said, refraining from immediate criticism of specific measures.

However, he raised concerns about India’s suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, questioning the government’s preparedness. “If you stop the water, where will you store it? Do we have the dams for it? These issues will be addressed later, not now,” he cautioned.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed readiness for a “neutral, transparent, and credible” investigation into the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 people on April 22.

Speaking at a military academy event in Abbottabad, Sharif rejected India’s accusations of Pakistan’s involvement in “cross-border terrorism,” emphasizing Islamabad’s openness to an impartial probe to uncover the truth behind the attack that targeted tourists in the scenic Baisaran meadow.

Sharif also underscored the strength of Pakistan’s military, stating, “Our armed forces are fully equipped to safeguard our sovereignty and territorial integrity against any aggression, as proven by their resolute response to India’s reckless incursion in February 2019.”

His remarks came amid escalating tensions, with both nations imposing severe retaliatory measures. India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, citing Pakistan’s alleged support for terrorism, while Pakistan closed its airspace to Indian airlines and warned that any attempt to disrupt Indus water flows would be treated as an “act of war.”

The situation along the Line of Control (LoC) worsened, with the Indian Army reporting “unprovoked” small arms fire from multiple Pakistani posts overnight on Friday, marking the second consecutive night of cross-border exchanges.

“Indian troops responded appropriately with small arms,” the Army stated, noting no casualties. Pakistan has not officially confirmed the incident, though both sides acknowledged similar gunfire the previous night.

Diplomatic relations have deteriorated sharply. Pakistan expelled Indian diplomats and military advisers, revoked visas for Indian nationals (except Sikh pilgrims), and closed the Wagah border crossing. India, in turn, implemented measures like suspending visa services for Pakistanis and reducing diplomatic staff in Islamabad.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed on Thursday to “track and punish” those responsible for the attack, promising to pursue terrorists and their supporters relentlessly.

The United Nations has called for “maximum restraint” from both nations, which have a history of multiple wars, while U.S. President Donald Trump minimized the crisis, suggesting it would be resolved “one way or another.”