Pakistani Terrorism

Operation Sindoor, launched in the wee hours of 7 May, targeted nine terrorist hideouts in Pakistan; missiles launched from air, and drones launched from land ~ all from Indian territory ~ destroyed terrorist infrastructure, and killed numerous terrorists, and their family members. According to a press release by the Ministry of Defence, Operation Sindoor was the Indian response to the Pahalgam massacre, where terrorists had shot dead 26 unarmed tourists, at point-blank range, with battlefield weapons.

Humanity was left aghast; the closest parallel to Pahalgam is the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre of 1919, when British troops opened fire, on an unarmed crowd. Jallianwala Bagh made nationalists out of millions of Indians. Similarly, the Pahalgam massacre has united all Indians, including Kashmiris, against terrorists. PM Modi, who was on an official visit to Saudi Arabia, returned post-haste to Delhi. After a series of high-level internal meetings, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, expelled Pakistani diplomats, and closed Indian borders to Pakistan. Later on, India closed its airspace to Pakistani airlines, banned all imports from Pakistan, and prohibited Pakistan-flagged ships from entering Indian ports.

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Pakistan retaliated by suspending the Simla Agreement, restricting trade, closing its airspace to Indian aircraft, and uninterrupted firing on the Line of Control. The United States’ State Sponsors of Terrorism list, describes Pakistan as a terrorist safe haven where individual terrorists and terrorist groups are able to organize, plan, raise funds, communicate, recruit, train, transit, and operate in security because of inadequate/supportive governance, political will, or both. Osama bin Laden, perpetrator of the 9/11 attacks was found in a house near the Pakistan Military Academy in Abbottabad. Pakistan has been accus – ed of involvement in terrorist activities, by a host of countries, including the United States, England, Germany, France, Afghanistan, Iran, and India.

Recently, Khwaja Muhammad Asif, Pakistan’s Defence Minister admitted in a TV interview, that at the behest of Western powers, Pakistan had supported terrorist groups for more than three decades. For a long, India has been a victim of Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. The attack on Indian Parliament (2001), Mumbai (2008), Pathankot (2016), Pulwama (2019) and Pahalgam (2025), all were the handiwork of Pakistani terrorists. The last three drew spirited responses; there was a surgical strike inside Pakistani territory after Pathankot, Pulwama was avenged by the Balakote air strike, and Operation Sindoor was launched in the aftermath of Pahalgam. However, events prior to the Pahalgam massacre show the Indian security set-up in a poor light.

To recapitulate; the tourist season had started early in 2025, and had slowly started to peak by 20 April. Pahalgam, with its beautiful gardens, the fast-flowing Lidder river, and pristine meadows, was crawling with tourists. Though the local administration was unaware, tourist guides had started taking tourists to the Baisaran meadow, one of the many beautiful meadows near Pahalgam. The scene at Baisaran in the afternoon of 22 April 2025 was idyllic; surrounded by a dense pine forest, the Baisaran meadow was a picture of natural beauty, tourist families were spread out on the grass, horses were frolicking, and vendors were selling hot tea and noodles to tourists.

(The writer is a retired Principal Chief Commissioner of Income-Tax)