Our Bureau
New Delhi
India’s Minister of External Affairs, S. Jaishankar was in an interview with the Dutch broadcaster NOS this Wednesday. He talked about the India and Pakistan’s military conflict that escalated a lot a few days ago. Jaishankar spoke on how the whole conflict started because of the barbaric terrorist attack in a small town of Jammu and Kashmir, Pahalgam which shook the country to its core.
Mr. Jaishankar, stated that the terrorist attacked 26 innocent Indians most of whom were civilians. The killings those terrorists carried out, were targeted on people based on their faith, showcasing the “extreme religious outlook” of Asim Munir, the Pakistan Army chief who this week was promoted from General to Field Marshal.
“It was done in a way intended to harm tourism, which is the mainstay of the economy, and to create a religious discord. Deliberately an element of religion was introduced. You also have to see there is a Pak leadership, especially the Army chief, that is driven by an extreme religious outlook. So, there is clearly some connect between the views expressed (by the Pak Army chief) and the behaviour (of the Pahalgam terrorists),” he explained.
S. Jaishankar also cleared the air regarding the United States brokering a ceasefire between the two nuclear-powered nations. The President of US, Donald Trump hasn’t let go of his statement that he was the one who brokered this ceasefire despite India denying these claims numerous times on global levels. Jaishankar clarified that there was no third party involved, rather both country’s DGMOs had a call which was initiated by Pakistan’s DGMO after which the terms of the ceasefire were reached.
Mr. Jaishankar completely debunked the narrative that Pakistan doesn’t know that these terrorists are hiding in their country. He claimed that it is all but certain that Pakistan and their army is involved with these terrorist groups and their claims of not knowing their existence are completely false.
He said, “We should not go along with the narrative that Pakistan does not know what is going on… the most notorious terrorists on the United Nations’ ‘sanctions list’ are all in Pakistan. They operate in the big cities… in broad daylight. Their addresses are known… their activities are known… their mutual contacts are known. So, let’s not pretend Pakistan is not involved. The Pak state is involved. The Pak Army is up to its neck in it.”
