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Bravery Amidst Chaos: How a Local Guide Shielded Tourists from Terror in Pahalgam
By Ilhak Tantray, Umer Farooq
PAHALGAM: Nazakat Ahmad Shah, a local guide, was leading eleven tourists from Chhattisgarh through the mesmerising trails of Pahalgam. His plan was to show them the warm hospitality of Kashmir, while saving the stunning views of Pahalgam for the end of their trip.
On April 22, the group arrived at Baisaran Park around noon. They laughed, enjoyed Maggie noodles, took photos, and admired the scenery.
Nazakat, always attentive, noticed it was getting late. He approached Lucky, one of the tourists, and said, “We should head back.” Lucky, caught up in the moment, replied, “Let’s take more photos. We’ve come this far.”
The group stayed longer, unaware of the danger approaching. Suddenly, a loud crack echoed through the air.
“What was that?” Lucky asked, curious.
Nazakat, unsure, tried to stay calm, and said, “It’s just kids with firecrackers.” But soon, the sounds became clearer — gunshots.
Panic spread among the tourists as they dropped to the ground, their joy replaced by fear. Nazakat’s heart raced, but he knew he had to protect them. Among the group were children, and he thought of his own daughters back home.
“As a guide and a father, I felt it was my duty to keep them safe,” he says.
Crouching low, Nazakat held onto Lucky’s son and a little girl tightly, shielding them from the chaos. He looked for a way out. Behind them, was a net. With steady hands, he cut through it, creating a narrow escape route.
“This way, quickly,” he called out to Lucky, his wife, and the children. The group moved together, hearts racing, following Nazakat’s lead.
They ran down the hill, with Nazakat carrying Lucky’s son on his shoulder. For about 200 meters, they continued to hear gunshots but did not stop, driven by the fear of the attack.
Baisaran Valley, located around two kilometers from Pahalgam, typically requires pony riders for access. However, in the chaos of the attack, neither the tourists nor the pony riders had time to return to Pahalgam on horseback.
Eventually, Nazakat led the group to Pahalgam, where they boarded their vehicles and piled in as he urged them to reach the hotel. His steady voice helped guide them through the fear.
As they drove away from Baisaran, the reality of the day hit Nazakat. Later that night, at 10.00 PM, he received heartbreaking news: his cousin, Aadil Shah, a pony operator, had been killed in the violence. Grief washed over him, but the tourists still needed him.
They were too scared to navigate the aftermath alone. Nazakat made a choice—he stayed with them, guiding them to their hotel in Pahalgam that night and ensuring they got to the airport safely the next day.
He only allowed himself to mourn after they boarded their flight, missing Aadil’s funeral while keeping his promise to his guests.
Nazakat reminisced about the moment, recalling a time when terrorists were dangerously close to him and the group of tourists. He spoke of holding a girl tightly against his chest, and when someone asked about her, he replied that she was his daughter.
“The group included three children who were terrified and crying, pleading for safety,” he explained. “I believe that could be the reason the terrorists spared us and chose not to harm us.” After we left the area, Nazakat’s voice broke as he added, “I sobbed at the thought of what could have happened.”
In a media interview and on social media, Lucky and Arvind Agarwal, another tourist from the group and a member of the Chhattisgarh unit of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party, expressed their gratitude towards Nazakat.
They noted that without hesitation, Nazakat stayed with them throughout the day, ensuring “our safety”.
Reflecting on the tragedy, Nazakat spoke with quiet strength. “What happened was against humanity,” he said. “No one should face such horror, no matter who is to blame. All of Kashmir mourns this loss.”
He paused for a moment, his voice heavy with emotion. “I still hear the cries of the children in my ears. That day changed me. I realised that protecting life, even in the face of death, is our greatest duty.”
“Missing cousin Aadil’s funeral weighs on me, but I have no regrets. “I could not save Aadil, but I could save them. Maybe that was my test that day,” he says.
“The bullets, the screams, the fear they left a mark on my mind. I am not the same person anymore. Every time I close my eyes; I see their faces – alternatively frightened and trusting. It reminds me why life must be defended.”
“I am thankful that I was able to save 11 tourists. That is my biggest milestone.”
Photos Courtesy: Kashmir Times, KNO
Courtesy Kashmir Times.
https://kashmirtimes.com/news/a-story-of-courage-from-pahalgam