Jaishankar Links Pahalgam Attack To Pakistan Army Chief's ‘Extreme Religious Outlook’

Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has attributed last month’s deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, to what he described as the "extreme religious outlook" of Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir. The attack, which left 25 Hindu tourists dead, was carried out by militants from The Resistance Front (TRF), a known offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Taiba group.

In an interview with Dutch broadcaster NOS, Jaishankar condemned the attack as a “barbaric” act intended to destabilize Kashmir’s vital tourism sector and inflame communal tensions. "Twenty-six people were murdered in front of their families after ascertaining their faith," he said. “It was done in a way intended to harm tourism, which is the mainstay of the Kashmir economy.”

Jaishankar pointed to recent provocative statements by Gen. Munir as a possible trigger. Days before the Pahalgam attack, Munir, now promoted to Field Marshal, had invoked the two-nation theory and called on Pakistanis to raise their children with the belief that they are "different from Hindus." He also reiterated that Kashmir is Pakistan’s “jugular vein.”

“To understand that [the attack], you have to see that on the Pakistani side, especially their Army chief, who is driven by an extreme religious outlook,” Jaishankar said. “There is clearly some connection between the views that were expressed and the manner the attack was carried out.”

The minister also highlighted India’s long-standing concerns about The Resistance Front, noting that New Delhi had alerted the United Nations and the international community about the group’s activities well before the April 22 incident. "We know the command centres and those areas we targeted," he added.

In response to the Pahalgam massacre, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting and destroying nine terror camps operated by Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. Approximately 100 militants were killed in the operation.

On Trump’s Ceasefire Claim

Addressing US President Donald Trump’s claim that Washington helped broker a ceasefire between India and Pakistan, Jaishankar clarified that the truce was a direct negotiation between the two South Asian nations.

"The ceasefire was negotiated directly between India and Pakistan," he said. "We told everyone, including the US, that if they want an understanding, they have to talk to us directly. And that's why it happened."

The remarks come amid heightened tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors, following a spate of cross-border incidents and rising concerns over state-sponsored terrorism.