India exercised right to dismantle terror hubs: Indian FS Misri
Indian FS Misri says Pahalgam attack was aimed at disturbing Kashmir’s progress; credible intelligence led to precision strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and PoK
India's military offensive into Pakistan-held Kashmir was followed with a diplomatic offensive, with Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri alleging that the Pahalgam terror attack was connected to Pakistan and was intended to disrupt the peace, development, and communal harmony in Jammu and Kashmir.
During a press conference regarding India's offensive where Misri took no questions from reporters, described the Pahalgam attack as "marked with extreme barbarity", where "victims were shot in the head at close range in front of their family members—deliberately traumatising them." He added that the method of attack was aimed at provoking communal discord and derailing the return to normalcy in Kashmir, says The Indian Express.
"This was not just an attack on people—it was a message meant to be carried back by the survivors. But India has responded with clarity and resolve," said Misri, referring to India's early morning precision strikes on nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
Highlighting alleged Pakistan's role, Misri claimed: "The attack in Pahalgam has exposed Pakistan's links with terrorists. Our intelligence agencies have identified those involved and the masterminds. The group claiming responsibility, The Resistance Front (TRF), is a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy—fully backed by Pakistan."
He also pointed to Pakistan's diplomatic manoeuvres at the United Nations. "On April 25, Pakistan pressured the UNSC to remove a reference to TRF from its statement. This, too, should not be ignored," he said.
He underlined that India's actions were "measured and non-escalatory", taken only after it became evident that Pakistan had taken no demonstrable steps to dismantle terrorist infrastructure on its soil.
Misri concluded by stating that India reserves the right to respond to terror threats decisively, saying: "This morning, we exercised our right to dismantle terror infrastructure that has long been used to harm India."
Speaking of the military response, Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who briefed reporters alongside the Foreign Secretary, said: "The targets in Operation Sindoor were chosen based on credible intelligence about their direct involvement in cross-border terrorism. These were active terror launchpads and training camps."
