Kashmir Shias Protest Islamabad Mosque Blast, Turn Anger On Pakistan | Exclusive

Last Updated:February 07, 2026, 01:25 IST

Protest rallies were reported at several key locations, with participants carrying banners and chanting slogans that explicitly targeted the Pakistani establishment

A powerful wave of anti-Pakistan sentiment swept through the Kashmir Valley on Friday, CNN-News18 has learnt, as members of the Shia community held multiple spontaneous protests to condemn a horrific suicide bombing at the Khadija Tul Kubra Mosque in Islamabad.

The attack, which occurred during Friday prayers in the Tarlai area of the Pakistani capital, resulted in at least 31 deaths and left over 169 people injured. The brutality of the strike on a Shia place of worship has triggered a visceral reaction in Jammu and Kashmir, manifesting in significant demonstrations across Srinagar, Baramulla, and Bandipora.

Geography of Discontent

Protest rallies were reported at several key locations, with participants carrying banners and chanting slogans that explicitly targeted the Pakistani establishment.

Baramulla: Major demonstrations took place at Chainabal Pattan and Diver Parihasipora, where protesters blocked roads and voiced their anger.

Srinagar: Heavy protests were observed at Imambara Zadibal and Harwan, traditional hubs of the Shia community in the city.

Bandipora: Worshippers gathered at Inderkote–Sumbal to hold candlelight vigils and protest marches.

The air was thick with anti-Pakistan rhetoric, featuring slogans such as “Pakistan Murdabad" (Down with Pakistan) and “Hukumat-e-Pakistan Murdabad" (Down with the Government of Pakistan).

A Credibility Crisis for Islamabad

Top intelligence sources suggest that these protests represent a significant “credibility crisis" for Pakistan’s long-standing narrative as the protector of Kashmiri Muslims. For decades, Islamabad has positioned itself as the guardian of religious interests in the region, yet the repeated targeting of Shias within its own borders is dismantling this image.

Key assessments from intelligence inputs include:

Community-Driven Anger: Unlike many street protests in the past, these were not politically mobilised by mainstream or separatist parties. They were organic, community-led responses born out of genuine grief and fear.

The Radicalisation Reversal: Frequent terror strikes on mosques and religious processions in Pakistan—attributed to groups like the TTP (Fitna al-Khawarij) or IS-K—are having a radicalising effect in Kashmir, but not in the way cross-border handlers intended. Instead of fostering sympathy for the Pakistani state, it is breeding deep resentment over Islamabad’s perceived failure or unwillingness to protect its minorities.

Weakening Propaganda: The “protector" narrative is visibly fraying. Intelligence analysts believe this domestic failure in Pakistan is weakening the influence of Pakistan-backed religious propaganda in the Valley, as local populations see a stark contradiction between Islamabad’s rhetoric and the reality of its internal security.

Sources say these protests serve as a stern warning signal to cross-border handlers. The shift from “sympathy" to “sloganeering" suggests that the Shia community in Kashmir is increasingly identifying Pakistan not as a stakeholder in their religious future, but as a source of sectarian instability.

News world Kashmir Shias Protest Islamabad Mosque Blast, Turn Anger On Pakistan | Exclusive

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