By Mushtaq Bala
In Kashmir, silence is rarely empty—it is layered, loaded, and, often, imposed. This Sunday, as the valley breathes through another week of headlines and hushed grievances, we are reminded that silence in our region is not merely the absence of sound, but frequently the suppression of voice.
Whether it is the repeated curbs on religious leaders, the cultural spaces that lie abandoned, or the cautious tones adopted in conversations that should otherwise be open, we are witnessing not peace—but the performance of peace. In such an environment, choosing to speak up is no longer a privilege—it is a responsibility.
This week, as voices were yet again restrained under the pretext of law and order, we at Kashmir Pen ask: when will the right to gather, to worship, to express dissent, no longer be considered a threat? When will our institutions—spiritual, cultural, intellectual—be allowed the space to breathe without fear of being labelled?
And yet, despite these constraints, Kashmir continues to express itself—in verses, visuals, and voices that refuse to be silenced. Our youth speak through cinema and social media, our elders through memory and resilience. The pen, long a symbol of resistance in our land, continues to write—not only about what is lost, but about what can still be reclaimed.
It is time for decision-makers to realize that the strength of a society lies not in how tightly it is controlled, but in how freely it is trusted. The dignity of a people cannot be managed through detentions and directives—it must be upheld through dialogue and democratic practice.
At Kashmir Pen, we continue to uphold our editorial conscience—not to provoke, but to provoke thought. To defend the right to question. To preserve the spirit of Kashmiri identity which has survived not just conflict, but countless attempts at erasure.
This Sunday, we stand by the idea that speaking up is not a disruption—it is the heartbeat of democracy. And even in silence, Kashmir speaks. It is time the world—and those in power—truly listened.
— Mushtaq Bala
Editor-In-Chief, Kashmir Pen
