NEW DELHI: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has linked the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, where tourists were targeted and killed based on their religion, to what he described as the “extreme religious outlook” of Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir.
In a sharp statement during an interview with Dutch broadcaster NOS, Jaishankar said: "Tourists were murdered in front of their families after ascertaining their faith, and it was done in a way in which it was intended to harm tourism, which is the mainstay of the Kashmir economy, and to create a religious discord. Deliberately, an element of religion was introduced.”
The terror attack in the popular tourist destination of Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir has reignited concerns over the role of religious extremism in cross-border terrorism. Indian authorities see the attack as a calculated move not only to instil fear but also to disrupt the fragile peace and economic recovery in the region.
Jaishankar said that such acts of terror are not isolated, but rather influenced by Pakistan’s military leadership. “And to understand that, you’ve got to also see the Pakistani side — you have a Pakistani leadership, especially their army chief, who is driven by an extreme religious outlook, so there is clearly some connect between the views that were expressed and the behaviour that was done,” he said.
This is one of the strongest remarks made by a senior Indian minister directly attributing religious motivations to the top military leadership in Pakistan. Jaishankar’s comments reflect India’s growing frustration with what it views as continued support for terrorism by Pakistan’s establishment.
The remarks also come amid broader regional tensions and at a time when India has been actively promoting Kashmir as a safe and attractive destination for tourists and investors. The targeting of tourists is seen as an attempt to derail those efforts by spreading fear and fostering communal tensions.
New Delhi has consistently held that terrorism emanating from across the border remains the biggest obstacle to peace and stability in the region.
Jaishankar has also clarified that the recent understanding reached between India and Pakistan on May 10 was the outcome of direct talks between the two countries, and not the result of any third-party mediation, including from the United States.
"When two countries are engaged in a conflict, it is natural that countries in the world call up and...try to sort of indicate their concern...but the cessation of firing and military action was something which was negotiated directly between India and Pakistan," he said.
“We made one thing very clear to everybody who spoke to us, not just the US, but to everybody, saying if the Pakistanis want to stop fighting, they need to tell us. We need to hear it from them. Their general has to call up our general and say this. And that is what happened,” he added.
