In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, widespread protests erupted across Nepal, with demonstrators expressing outrage over the killing of 26 tourists, including Nepali national Sudip Neupane. The incident, which occurred on the 22nd of April in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, has drawn strong public reactions in Kathmandu, Janakpur, and other parts of the Himalayan nation.
Dozens of young protestors gathered outside the Pakistan Embassy in Kathmandu, holding placards bearing the image of 27-year-old Neupane, who was from Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City in western Nepal. They raised slogans demanding justice and condemning what they described as religiously targeted violence. Before opening fire at close range, the protesters alleged that the attackers had questioned the victims about their religion.
Similar scenes unfolded in Janakpur on Tuesday, where an effigy of Pakistan’s army chief was burned by the protestors, who accused the country’s leadership of “harbouring terrorism.” Sanjay Chaudhary, a protest leader in Janakpur, told ANI (Asian News International) that sentiments had been inflamed after it was revealed that the attack appeared to single out individuals based on their religious identity.
Various Nepali political and civil society organizations, including the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Nepali Nagrik Abhiyan, Nagrik Yuvashakti Nepal, and Rashtriya Ekta Abhiyan, organized separate demonstrations over the past week, with protesters also submitting a formal note to the embassy demanding that Pakistan end any support for terrorism.
On the 26th of April, similar protests were held outside the embassy, where demonstrators tore down Pakistan’s flag and set fire to images of key Pakistani figures. Authorities responded to these protests by barricading roads leading to the embassy’s new location.
The government of Nepal, soon after the identification of the victims, publicly expressed its support for India’s fight against terrorism. This shift is mainly due to India revoking most visa categories for Pakistani citizens, effective April 27, in response to the incident.
Additional protests had also been organized in support by Indian communities across the globe, including Australia, where a protest was staged at Federation Square, Melbourne, as well as in the UK outside the Pakistan High Commission in London.
The Pahalgam terror attack has been described as one of the most severe assaults in the Kashmir Valley since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. Survivors report that in addition to the deaths, nearly two dozen others sustained injuries. The Resistance Front, a group linked to the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, has allegedly claimed responsibility for the attack.
