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India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has strongly criticized Pakistan’s Army Chief General Asim Munir, saying his “extreme religious outlook” played a role in inspiring the terrorists who killed Indian tourists in Pahalgam last month.
Speaking to the media in the Netherlands, Jaishankar described the April 22 attack in Jammu and Kashmir as a “barbaric” act, one that was aimed at damaging tourism in the region and provoking religious unrest.
“Very Barbaric” — EAM Condemns April Attack
The attack in Pahalgam, a popular tourist spot in Kashmir, left several holidaymakers dead and many others injured. Jaishankar said the violence was clearly intended to drive tourists away and create communal divisions in India.
He also made a pointed comment about how Pakistan educates its younger generations. “They teach their children that they are different from Hindus,” he said, before bringing up Pakistan’s long-standing narrative on Kashmir. He noted that the country continues to treat Kashmir as its “jugular vein” — a phrase often used in Pakistani military and political circles.
Jaishankar: “TRF Behind the Attack, Linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba”
Jaishankar confirmed that Indian intelligence had identified the group responsible for the attack — The Resistance Front (TRF). He said TRF had been under India’s radar for a long time and that New Delhi had already raised the issue at the United Nations.
“TRF has been on our radar for a long time. We had already brought it to the United Nations’ attention,” Jaishankar stated.
He then made a significant revelation: India has solid evidence that connects TRF to the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the Pakistan-based terror outfit led by Hafiz Saeed.
“We know where the command centres are — and those are the places we targeted on May 7,” he added, indicating that India had launched retaliatory strikes after the Pahalgam killings.
India Responded Militarily on May 7
The minister’s mention of a strike on May 7 hints at covert or military action taken by India following the terror attack. While the details remain classified, Jaishankar’s statement makes it clear that India responded swiftly and with precision by targeting specific command bases.
This aligns with India’s broader security approach in recent years, where terror attacks are often followed by visible or hidden countermeasures across the border.
Ceasefire Talks With Pakistan Were Direct, Not Mediated by U.S.
In a separate but related comment, Jaishankar revealed a key detail about how the ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan came about. He said that the decision to halt cross-border firing wasn’t brokered by any third party — not even the United States.
“We made one thing very clear to everyone, not just the United States, that if Pakistan wanted to stop the firing, we needed to hear it directly from them. Their general had to call our general and make that clear. And that’s exactly what happened,” Jaishankar explained.
This statement was intended to shut down speculation about any foreign mediation in the ceasefire process — something often rumored in diplomatic circles.
A Clear Message to Pakistan
With these strong remarks, Jaishankar has sent a clear message to Pakistan: India sees the military and religious ideologies promoted by Islamabad as fueling terrorism. He also made it evident that India prefers to deal with such matters directly, without external interference.
His comments about Pakistan’s internal mindset — especially what it teaches its children — highlight a deeper concern India has about the long-term effects of radicalization across the border.
The minister’s statements are likely to raise tensions further but also serve as a warning that New Delhi is prepared to strike back and won’t rely on international diplomacy alone when it comes to national security.
