On May 1, 2025, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar conveyed to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that those responsible for the April 22 terrorist attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam area must be brought to justice. The attack resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals, primarily tourists. Jaishankar emphasized that the perpetrators, their backers, and planners should be held accountable.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged the U.S. to press India to “dial down the rhetoric and act responsibly”, and Army Chief General Asim Munir said Pakistan was committed to peace but would safeguard its national interests.
“Let there be no ambiguity: any military misadventure by India will be met with a swift, resolute, and notch-up response,” he said while witnessing a field-training exercise of the army’s Mangla Corps, based in Pakistani Kashmir.
In response, Secretary Rubio urged both India and Pakistan to de-escalate tensions and cooperate in investigating the attack, reiterating U.S. support for India’s fight against extremism.
India has identified the assailants, including two Pakistani nationals, as terrorists linked to a violent separatist movement. Pakistan denies involvement and calls for a neutral investigation. Amid rising tensions, India has suspended a crucial water-sharing treaty and closed its airspace to Pakistani airlines. Pakistan has reciprocated and is evacuating tourists from border regions, anticipating potential Indian military retaliation.
Islamist assailants attacked a meadow teeming with tourists in Kashmir’s Pahalgam area last week, segregated men, asked their names and shot Hindus at close range, officials and survivors said. At least 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed.
India has identified the three attackers, including two Pakistani nationals, as “terrorists” waging a violent revolt in Muslim-majority Kashmir. Islamabad has denied any role and called for a neutral investigation.
Earlier this week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told his military chiefs that they had the freedom to decide the country’s response to the attack, a government source said.
Pakistan says it has “credible intelligence” that India intends to launch military action soon.
Muslim-majority Kashmir is claimed in full by both Hindu-majority India and Islamic Pakistan, although each controls only a part of the Himalayan region. They have fought two wars over Kashmir and New Delhi accuses Pakistan of backing an uprising in Indian Kashmir that started in 1989 but has now waned.
Both nations have reported nightly exchanges of fire without casualties. The U.S., United Nations, and China have urged restraint. In discussions with U.S. defense officials, India emphasized Pakistan’s alleged support for terrorism. The situation remains volatile, with Pakistan’s leadership warning of a strong response to any Indian military actions.
Source: Reuters
