“Deliberately, An Element Of Religion Was Introduced”: Jaishankar Links Pahalgam To Pak Army Chief’s Extremist Views

Foreign Minister S Jaishankar has linked last month’s Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir, to the “extreme religious outlook” of Pakistan’s Army Chief, now Field Marshal Asim Munir, in an interview with Dutch broadcaster NOS.

According to a NDTV report about the interview, Jaishankar said the “barbaric” 22 April attack was intended to “create a religious discord” and disrupt tourism, the region's economic lifeline.

“Look... first of all you have to understand what it was about. It started because it was triggered by a barbaric terrorist attack in the Indian territory of Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 tourists were murdered in front of their families after ascertaining their faith,” he said.

“And it was done in a way intended to harm tourism... Deliberately an element of religion was introduced,” Jaishankar emphasised.

He also pushed back on US President Donald Trump’s claim that he brokered the ceasefire between India and Pakistan, stating it was a direct bilateral decision: “The Pak state is involved. The Pak Army is up to its neck in it.”

Citing a separate interview with Dutch daily De Volkskrant, NDTV reported that he dismissed suggestions that Pakistan’s government is unaware of terror camps. “They operate in the big cities... in broad daylight. Their addresses are known... their activities are known... their mutual contacts are known. So let’s not pretend Pakistan is not involved.”

Operation Sindoor, India’s military response, targeted terror camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). After Indian counterstrikes disabled several Pakistani air bases and radars, Pakistan sought a ceasefire. India has warned it is ready to respond forcefully to any future attacks.