New Delhi: In a pointed rebuke of Pakistan’s role in terrorism, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar accused Islamabad and its military of openly backing and sheltering notorious terrorist groups. In an interview with Dutch daily De Volkskrant, Jaishankar dismissed claims that the Pakistani government was unaware of terrorist activities within its borders.
“The most notorious terrorists on the UN sanctions list are based in Pakistan. They operate in major cities, in broad daylight. Their locations and activities are well known,” Jaishankar said, highlighting what he described as the Pakistani state’s deep-rooted involvement in cross-border terrorism.
He added, “Let’s not pretend that Pakistan is not involved. The state is involved. The army is up to its neck in it.” Jaishankar warned of potential consequences if terrorist attacks originating from Pakistan continued.
The remarks come in the wake of rising tensions between the two countries following a brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, in which 26 tourists were killed by terrorists linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba. In response, India carried out targeted airstrikes under Operation Sindoor on May 7, hitting terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistan. The military confrontation lasted four days before a ceasefire was announced on May 10.
Addressing international perceptions, Jaishankar questioned the logic of denying state complicity in terrorism. “Suppose there were large military training centers in a city like Amsterdam — would the Dutch government be unaware? Of course not,” he said, drawing a parallel to the situation in Pakistan.
On the issue of Jammu and Kashmir, the minister reiterated India’s firm stance: “Kashmir is part of India. No country negotiates over its own territory.”
Jaishankar concluded by affirming that India seeks a permanent end to terrorism emanating from Pakistani soil and stood by his earlier characterization of the country as the “epicentre of terrorism.”
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