UN Chief Guterres condemns Pahalgam terror attack, urges India-Pakistan de-escalation
New Delhi: United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has strongly condemned the April 22 terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam and called for immediate de-escalation of tensions between India and Pakistan.
In separate phone calls to India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Guterres expressed deep concern over the rising hostilities following the cross-border attack that claimed the lives of 26 people, including a Nepalese citizen.
According to an official UN statement, Guterres stressed the importance of pursuing justice and accountability through lawful means. He reiterated the need to avoid further confrontation and offered his good offices to help both nations de-escalate the situation.
The terror attack, attributed to Pakistan-sponsored operatives, targeted mostly tourists in the Pahalgam region, leading to widespread condemnation and a sharp diplomatic standoff.
In response, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level security meeting attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, the three service chiefs, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Sources present at the meeting stated that PM Modi affirmed India's unwavering resolve to combat terrorism and granted the armed forces complete operational freedom to determine the nature and timing of the response.
As part of its countermeasures, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, expelled Pakistani High Commission officials by declaring them Persona Non Grata, and revoked visas issued under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES), ordering Pakistani nationals to leave within 48 hours.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
PM instructs armed forces that response to every action by Pak should be more forceful: Govt sources
New Delhi, May 11 (PTI): There is a new normal in India's response to cross-border terrorism, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi instructing the armed forces that the country's response to every action by Pakistan should be more forceful, government sources said on Sunday.
Following Operation Sindoor, Prime Minister Modi told the armed forces that bullets must be responded to by artillery (Wahan se goli chalegi, toh yahan se gola chalega), the sources said.
They said Operation Sindoor is not concluded and there is a new normal in India's response to cross-border terrorism. The cost of cross-border terrorism will be raised, and Pakistan can't continue with terrorism while expecting cooperation in areas of its choosing.
They also said that India will never accept mediation in the Kashmir issue and the only matter to discuss is Pakistan returning the territory which is under its illegal occupation
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Saturday evening announced that India and Pakistan reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea, with immediate effect, after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.
The development was first announced by US President Donald Trump, who claimed that the two countries had agreed to a "full and immediate ceasefire" after US mediation.
In a statement, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he was "pleased to announce the Governments of India and Pakistan have agreed to an immediate ceasefire and to start talks on a broad set of issues at a neutral site".
The only matter related to Kashmir to discuss is Pakistan returning territory under its illegal occupation, Government sources asserted on Sunday.
They made it clear that the Indus Waters Treaty will be in abeyance as long as terrorism sponsored by Pakistan against India continues.
Only talks with Pakistan will be through the Director General of Military Operations (DGMOs). There is no other issue to discuss, the sources said.
India's position after the May 7 strikes on terror infrastructure was that if Pakistan fires, India will respond more forcefully, they said, adding it was the Pakistani DGMO who reached out to the Indian DGMO on May 10 to de-escalate situation
After the Pahalgam attack, India had told countries that reached out to New Delhi it would hit terror infrastructure in Pakistan territories.
After the May 7 strikes, every Pakistani action was dealt with very firmly, the sources said.
