Pahalgam attack aimed to derail J&K’s normalcy, foster Pak’s cross-border terrorism, says India

New Delhi: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Wednesday said the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack was a calculated attempt to disrupt the return of normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir and to create an environment conducive to sustained cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan.

Speaking at a press conference alongside Indian Army Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Indian Air Force Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Misri addressed the objectives behind Operation Sindoor, in which Indian armed forces struck nine high-value terror targets deep within Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

“As you all know, on April 22, 2025, Pakistani and Pakistan-trained terrorists belonging to Lashkar-e-Taiba brutally attacked Indian tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir in India. Twenty-five Indians and one Nepali citizen were cowardly killed,” he said.

Drawing parallels with the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Misri said, “After the November 26, 2008, attacks in Mumbai, this is the most serious incident in terms of the number of civilians killed in a terrorist attack in India.”

“The Pahalgam attack was extremely brutal, in which the people present there were shot in the head from close range and in front of their families. This method of killing deliberately traumatised the family members, and they were also advised to go back and convey this message,” he said.

The Foreign Secretary underlined the strategic intent behind the killings, stating, “This attack was clearly aimed at disrupting the normal situation being restored in Jammu and Kashmir because tourism was again becoming the mainstay of the economy. The main purpose of this attack was to adversely affect it.”

Highlighting the economic impact, Misri said, “Last year, as you all know, more than 2.25 crore tourists visited Kashmir. The main objective of this attack was, therefore, probably, to keep the Union Territory backwards by harming its development and progress and to help create a fertile ground for the continued cross-border terrorism from Pakistan.”

In direct response to the Pahalgam attack, India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting terror infrastructure used by Pakistan-based groups, including Lashkar-e-Taiba and its proxy, The Resistance Front.

The strikes focused on camps and logistical hubs believed to have been used to plan and execute the attack.

Misri emphasised the nature of India’s military response, saying it was “measured, calibrated and non-escalatory.”

He reiterated that the Indian strikes aimed solely at dismantling terror infrastructure, ensuring no collateral damage to civilian or economic sites.

“The Indian armed forces carried out precision strikes. The objective was to decimate the roots of terror without provoking escalation,” Misri said.

IANS