India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has launched a scathing attack on Pakistan and its army chief, Asim Munir, holding him directly responsible for the barbaric terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, that left 26 civilians—mostly tourists—dead. In a series of interviews and public statements, Jaishankar has exposed the ideological and operational links between Pakistan’s military leadership and the latest surge in cross-border terrorism, calling out the “extreme religious outlook” that fueled the massacre.

The Pahalgam Attack: Deliberate, Targeted, and Religious

On April 22, 2025, terrorists from The Resistance Front (an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba) attacked a group of tourists in Pahalgam, executing them after checking their faith. The attack was not only a gruesome act of violence but also a calculated attempt to cripple Kashmir’s tourism industry and sow religious discord in the region. Eyewitnesses confirmed that the assailants identified and killed non-Muslims at point-blank range, underlining the religious motivation behind the massacre.

Asim Munir’s Role: Ideology and Incitement

According to Jaishankar, the attack was directly influenced by the “extreme religious outlook” of Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir. Days before the attack, Munir delivered a communal speech invoking the two-nation theory and urging Pakistanis to teach their children they are “different from Hindus.” He described Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein,” stoking sectarian tensions and laying the ideological groundwork for the violence that followed.

Jaishankar told Dutch broadcaster NOS that Munir’s fanaticism provided the ideological fuel for the Pahalgam terrorists, who carried out the massacre with the explicit intent of harming tourism and creating communal strife. He emphasized that such acts are not isolated but are part of a pattern of state-backed terrorism emanating from Pakistan’s military leadership.

Pakistan’s Complicity: State and Army “Up to Its Neck” in Terrorism

Jaishankar has categorically stated that Pakistan’s involvement in terrorism is not limited to rogue elements but extends to the highest levels of the state and army. He pointed out that the world’s most notorious terrorists, listed by the United Nations, operate openly in Pakistani cities, with their addresses and activities well known to authorities. He called on the international community to stop pretending otherwise and recognize the official complicity of the Pakistani establishment.

India’s Response: Operation Sindoor and Diplomatic Clarity

In the wake of the Pahalgam attack, India launched Operation Sindoor, a series of precision strikes that destroyed nine major terror camps and related infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. Jaishankar made it clear that India’s military action was a direct and bilateral response to the attack, not the result of any third-party mediation, despite claims by US President Donald Trump.

He stressed that India seeks a “definitive end” to terrorism and that military operations will continue if Pakistan persists in supporting cross-border attacks. The message from New Delhi is unambiguous: India will hit terrorists “where they are” and will not tolerate any further escalation.

International Reactions and the Need for Accountability

The United Nations Security Council condemned the Pahalgam attack “in the strongest terms,” though the statement did not name The Resistance Front, reportedly due to pressure from Pakistan and China. Jaishankar criticized this diplomatic evasiveness and urged the world to hold Pakistan accountable for its role in fostering terrorism.

Summary

S. Jaishankar’s forthright condemnation of Asim Munir and the Pakistani military establishment marks a new level of diplomatic candor in India’s fight against terrorism. By exposing the ideological roots and state sponsorship behind the Pahalgam attack, Jaishankar has made it clear that India will not allow religious fanaticism and cross-border terror to destabilize its society or economy. The world, he insists, must recognize and act against the machinery of hate and violence emanating from Pakistan’s highest offices.