External affairs minister S. Jaishankar launched a scathing rebuke of Pakistan's alleged ties to terrorism, asserting that both the Pakistani state and its army are deeply complicit in harbouring extremist networks. His remarks, made during an interview with the Dutch daily De Volkskrant, came amid a diplomatic visit to the Netherlands aimed at enhancing Indo-Dutch ties.
“The most notorious terrorists on the United Nations (UN) 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 that Pakistan is not involved. The state is involved. The army is up to its neck in it,” Jaishankar stated.
He dismissed the suggestion that Islamabad remains unaware of the terrorist networks flourishing within its territory. “Suppose that there were large military centres in the middle of a city like Amsterdam where tens of thousands of people gathered for military training, would you say that your government knows nothing about that? Of course not,” he told the Dutch publication.
Jaishankar reiterated India’s long-standing position that terrorism and the issue of Jammu and Kashmir are entirely separate matters, saying: “Terrorism is an independent, completely unacceptable international crime that should not be condoned or justified.”
The external affairs minister was referring, in part, to the recent terror strike in Srinagar on April 22 that killed 26 people, most of them civilians. “The terrorists targeted the vibrant tourism industry in Jammu and Kashmir with their attack. So they are prepared to destroy things in Kashmir for their own, very limited, selfish purposes. They also deliberately gave the attack a very religious tint. The world should not accept such practices,” he asserted.
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In response to continued terrorist attacks originating from Pakistani soil, Jaishankar issued a stark warning: “There will be consequences. The Pakistanis must understand that very well.”
On Pakistan’s repeated assertions regarding Kashmir, Jaishankar reaffirmed that Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India was finalised in 1947. “The illegal occupiers should return their illegally occupied parts to the rightful owner. And that is us,” he declared.
Responding to a question about US President Donald Trump’s recent offer to mediate between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, Jaishankar categorically ruled out third-party intervention. “As I said, this is something that we will do together with Pakistan.”
Trump had claimed credit for brokering a ceasefire between India and Pakistan following the Indian armed forces’ Operation Sindoor on May 7. While the United States President alleged that his government’s trade leverage helped bring the countries to the negotiating table, India has consistently denied any foreign role in resolving the Kashmir issue.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had warned Pakistan and terrorist elements, saying: “If anyone tries to wipe off the vermilion of this nation's daughters, then they will be turned into dust.” He added that Operation Sindoor marked a new form of justice and response to terrorism.
Jaishankar echoed this sentiment, praising the armed forces and asserting that “the nation deserves appreciation for its action against terror.”
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