- Attackers to be made to pay beyond their imagination: Modi.
- Indian premier vows to make every effort to ensure justice.
- Says country will identify, track and punish those responsible.
NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday vowed to punish backers and those responsible for carrying out attack against tourists in the Pahalgam area in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), resulting in over two dozen fatalities.
“I say to the whole world: India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backer [….] We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth,” PM Modi said while addressing a gathering in the state of Bihar.
The shooting in the tourist hotpot on Tuesday — the deadliest attack on civilians in the disputed Muslim-majority territory since 2000 — has led to critical diplomatic tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad after the former accused the latter of supporting “cross-border terrorism” and downgraded ties with its neighbour with a raft of diplomatic measures.
Despite Pakistan’s categorical denial regarding its role in the incident, PM Modi-led government has since then suspended the Indus Water Treaty and banned the entry of Pakistani nationals.
Apart from the immediate closure of the Integrated Check Post Attari, New Delhi has also asked military, naval and air advisers in the Pakistani High Commission to leave the country within a week while declaring them persona non grata.
Recalling its own advisers, the neighbouring country has also announced the overall strength of the High Commissions to 30 from the present 55 by May 1 — which is also the deadline for Pakistanis to leave the country.
Speaking at his first public speech since the attack, Modi said: “I say this unequivocally: whoever has carried out this attack, and the ones who devised it, will be made to pay beyond their imagination”.
“They will certainly pay. Whatever little land these terrorists have, it’s time to reduce it to dust. The willpower of 1.4 billion Indians will break the backbone of these terrorists.”
He finished his speech with rare comments in English, directing them to an audience abroad.
“Terrorism will not go unpunished,” Modi said, adding: “Every effort will be made to ensure that justice is done”.
The premier’s remarks come as India, as reported by the local media, has summoned the top Pakistani diplomat to New Delhi to give notice that all defence advisers in the Pakistani mission were persona non grata and given a week to leave.
With Indian PM vowing justice, PM Shehbaz Sharif is also chairing a high-level National Security Committee (NSC) with top civilian and military leadership to discuss the internal and external security situation and review New Delhi’s hastily announced actions and measures.
