In a chilling disclosure that underscores the horror behind the April 22 Pahalgam attack, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri confirmed on Wednesday that the assault on innocent tourists was orchestrated by terrorists linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and supported by elements within Pakistan.
Speaking at a high-level press briefing, Misri revealed harrowing details of the ambush in which 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen were brutally gunned down.
"They shot tourists in the head in front of their family members. The families were then threatened and told to spread the message of that barbarism," Misri said, adding that the attack was deliberately designed to instill fear and derail the revival of tourism in Jammu and Kashmir.
He further highlighted that the motive behind the bloodshed wasn’t just ideological, but strategic: "Since tourism was again flourishing in J&K, the main aim of the attack was to damage that."
Misri also pointed to a suspicious push by Pakistan to remove references to The Resistance Front (TRF) from international reports and statements.
"On April 25, Pakistan's pressure to remove the reference to TRF from the media release shouldn't be ignored. The Pahalgam terrorist attack has exposed Pakistan's deep-rooted links with terrorist outfits," he said.
Amid rising tensions and fears of further strikes, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held emergency talks with Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Shah is also in continuous communication with the Lieutenant Governor of J&K and the Director General of BSF, sources confirmed.
In a swift move to prevent further violence, Shah has instructed the DG BSF to enhance security and take all precautionary measures in border areas, especially those in Jammu and the Pir Panjal region.
Misri warned that intelligence inputs suggest potential follow-up attacks are being planned by the same groups.
"Our intelligence agencies monitoring terrorist activities have indicated that there could be more attacks on India, and it was felt essential to both stop and tackle them," he added.
The revelations add further justification to Operation Sindoor, India’s recent targeted strikes on terror camps in Kel, Jura, Dudhnial, Athmuqam, and Leepa Valley — a mission aimed at dismantling terror infrastructure in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
