India has strongly condemned Pakistan’s claims that civilians, not terrorists, were killed during India’s recent Operation Sindoor, calling Islamabad’s stance a global embarrassment. On Thursday, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri firmly rejected Pakistan’s narrative, pointing to state funerals conducted with national honours for three men—Qari Abdul Malik, Khalid, and Mudassir—who were part of banned terror groups but were officially mourned as civilians by the Pakistani government. Indian intelligence had identified the men as members of Jamaat-ud-Dawah, led by UN-designated terrorist Hafiz Saeed, and involved with Lashkar-e-Taiba, an organization India holds responsible for deadly attacks, including the recent one in Pahalgam.
Misri emphasized that if Pakistan’s claims were genuine, it was “odd” that the funerals were conducted with state flags and military honours, a practice that hardly aligns with civilian mourning. He highlighted that Pakistan’s refusal to acknowledge the role of The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy that openly claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack twice, was a clear attempt to deflect international accountability. This denial, Misri said, had left Pakistan “exposed” before the world, particularly after the closed-door United Nations Security Council consultations earlier this week, where Islamabad faced tough questions regarding its terror links.
India has accused Pakistan’s intelligence services, the so-called “deep state,” of directly aiding and orchestrating attacks, not just in Kashmir but across the globe, referencing evidence that links Pakistan to past terror plots in places like London. Misri underscored that Pakistan’s stalling tactics at international forums, including the UN, are designed to cover up its involvement rather than take meaningful action against cross-border terrorism. He even reminded reporters that Osama bin Laden, the Al-Qaeda mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, was found hiding in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and recalled how former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan had controversially referred to bin Laden as a martyr, further underlining Islamabad’s long-standing tolerance of militant figures.
The diplomatic standoff escalated just hours before the Indian Foreign Secretary’s address when the Defence Ministry confirmed that Pakistani forces fired missiles targeting Indian military establishments in 15 cities. In response, India swiftly neutralized Pakistani Air Defence Radars, including those in Lahore, sending a clear message of military resolve. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stated that while Operation Sindoor remains an ongoing mission, India has been careful to target only terrorist infrastructure, not Pakistani military bases, signaling that New Delhi does not seek escalation but is prepared to respond if provoked.
Meanwhile, Pakistan has called for an international and independent investigation into the Pahalgam incident, claiming that India’s suspension of non-military treaties like the Indus Waters Treaty amounts to an act of war. But for India, the evidence is clear: the attackers were trained on Pakistani soil, under the protection of groups openly tolerated or supported by the Pakistani state. As global diplomatic pressure mounts, the divide between the two nations has only deepened, with India determined to maintain its stance against terror networks and hold Pakistan accountable on the world stage.
This latest episode marks a significant strain in Indo-Pak relations, with international eyes now watching closely to see if diplomatic solutions can be salvaged or if military operations on both sides will continue to escalate. The world, once again, is reminded of the fragile peace between two nuclear neighbours and the enduring shadow of cross-border terrorism that continues to threaten regional stability.
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