The April 22 Pahalgam terror attack was the escalation in recent tensions and if there is any further provocation by Pakistan, India will respond appropriately and so the choice is in Islamabad’s hands, foreign secretary Vikram Misri said on Thursday, a day on which India neutralised Pakistani air defence radars in Lahore.
In a news briefing with Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh, Misri said the recent Indian action codenamed ‘Operation Sindoor’ was “controlled, precise and measured” and followed Pakistan’s drone and missile attacks across northern and western India on May 7 and 8.
He reiterated that India’s response was "in the same domain and with the same intensity" as the attempted Pakistani strikes, which targeted locations including Jammu, Pathankot, Srinagar, and Bhuj. “We are responding, not escalating,” he added.
Earlier, the defence ministry said an air defence system in Lahore “has been neutralised,”, even as reports emerged of Rawalpindi cricket stadium being hit by drone fire.
Misri also mentioned that a heavy calibrated artillery attack by Pakistan in Kupwara, Baramullah, Poonch, Rajouri sector has killed 16 civilians, including three women and five children.
The foreign secretary also slammed Pakistan’s targeting of the Sikh community during recent hostilities, terming it a "deeply troubling" development. “Not only does it underline a pattern of persecution, but it shows a complete disregard for civilian lives.”
Misri traced the recent escalation by the Indian armed forces back to the attack in Pahalgam on April 22, the responsibility of which was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF).
TRF had earlier retracted their claim citing “result of a coordinated cyber intrusion”.
“This group has been referenced by the UN sanctions monitoring committee, and we will be meeting soon to discuss an update. Unfortunately, Pakistan objected to the TRF’s mention at the UN Security Council,” he said.
India believes its latest response is not only justified but necessary. “The attacks (Operation Sindoor) were carried out against infrastructure linked to terror organisations. Our armed forces have operated with restraint. No civilian or conventional military targets were engaged,” Misri asserted.
On Pakistan’s call for an international investigation, Misri pointed to Islamabad’s “poor track record” in cooperating with global efforts to bring terrorists to justice.
“India provided forensic evidence after the 26/11 attacks. A case was registered but has seen no progress. The same happened post-Pathankot. We gave unprecedented access to their Joint Investigation Team — DNA samples, addresses, everything. Yet there was no movement,” he said.
Misri further noted how their own leaders have, in the past, confirmed harbouring terror groups. “The Pakistani defence and former foreign ministers have eloquently detailed their country’s sheltering of terrorists. Let’s not forget, Osama bin Laden was found in Abbottabad,” he said.
As the situation remains tense, Misri said India would continue to monitor developments and provide updates to its partners at the UN and other multilateral forums. “We will act with responsibility. But make no mistake, if provoked again, we will respond — decisively and proportionately.”