Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said on Thursday that the Pahalgam terror attack was the “original escalation” by Pakistan, and that India has responded in a “controlled, precise, measured, considered, and non-escalatory” manner through targeted strikes on terrorist infrastructure early Wednesday.
Addressing a joint press conference, Misri emphasized that India’s intention is not to escalate the situation but to respond appropriately to aggression.
“Pakistan escalated on April 22. We are only responding to that escalation. If there is further escalation, our response will be in the appropriate domain,” Misri said.
He added that during discussions at the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) regarding the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan opposed addressing the role of The Resistance Front (TRF), despite TRF claiming responsibility for the attack twice.
“Col Qureshi and Wing Commander Singh clearly stated yesterday and today that India’s response is non-escalatory, precise, and measured. Our intention is not to escalate the situation. No military targets have been hit; only terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan has been targeted,” Misri said.
He further stated that Pakistan’s reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism is well-documented.
“I don’t need to remind anyone where Osama Bin Laden was found, or who called him a martyr. Pakistan is home to numerous terrorists proscribed by the UN and other countries. In recent days, their Defence Minister and a former Foreign Minister even admitted the country’s involvement with such groups,” he said.
Misri also questioned the state’s conduct in honoring deceased civilians.
“It is odd that funerals of civilians are being conducted with coffins wrapped in the national flag and with state honors,” he noted.
Condemning the targeting of civilians in Jammu and Kashmir, Misri said:
“Yesterday, Pakistan launched a targeted attack on the Sikh community in Jammu & Kashmir, striking a gurdwara in Poonch. Three individuals were killed, and several others injured. In total, 16 civilians have been killed in Poonch.”
The Defence Ministry, in a statement, reiterated that during the press briefing on Operation Sindoor yesterday, India’s response was described as focused, measured, and non-escalatory. It emphasized that no Pakistani military establishments were targeted, and any attack on Indian military targets would receive an appropriate response.
The Ministry added that during the night of May 7–8, Pakistan attempted to strike several military targets in Northern and Western India—including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj—using drones and missiles. These threats were neutralized by the Integrated Counter-UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. Debris recovered from various locations confirms the attempted attacks.
In response, Indian Armed Forces targeted Pakistani Air Defence radars and systems at multiple locations. It has been reliably confirmed that an air defence system in Lahore was neutralized.
The statement further noted that Pakistan has escalated unprovoked firing across the Line of Control, using mortars and heavy artillery in the Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar, and Rajouri sectors of Jammu and Kashmir.
Sixteen civilians, including three women and five children, have been killed in the attacks. India was compelled to respond in kind to silence the mortar and artillery fire from across the border.
(ANI)