Indian community calls for peace after deadly terror attack

Indian nationals in the Philippines held a prayer meeting Sunday to honor the 26 victims of a recent terror attack in Pahalgam, India, condemning terrorism and calling for peace in their homeland.

The prayer meeting was organized by the Indian Diaspora of the Philippines (IDP), as they expressed their unification and a strong message against terrorism and other heinous attacks.

“All the Indians living in the Philippines coming united against terrorist attacks,” one of the event organizers said, adding that wherever they are, they are sharing the pain and sadness with the bereaved families.

Throughout the ceremony, a moment of silence was observed, which was followed by the Indians lining up to offer flowers and to write messages dedicated to the victims of the tourist attack in Pahalgam.

One of the participants, who refused to be named, added that last Sunday’s event is a “non-violent, silent message” across the Indians, citing that there should be no violence in their country as it is the land of Mahatma Gandhi.

At least 80 Indian nationals participated in the prayer meeting, and the IDP said that future prayer meetings are also being planned.

The group said in a message that the Pahalgam attack marks “the highest number of civilian deaths” following the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai, which resulted in the deaths of at least 166 individuals.

The Associated Press (AP) reported that the attack occurred at a resort and was carried out by alleged militants who were fighting against the Indian ruling.

Following the incident, the group Kashmir Resistance, also known as The Resistance Front (TRF), claimed responsibility for the terrorist attack in the region of Kashmir.

In response to the terror attack, the Indian government imposed a ban on all imported products from Pakistan, which reportedly could badly affect the economy of Islamabad.

“This restriction is imposed in the interest of national security and public policy,” India’s Directorate General of Foreign Trade said in a message.