Congress leader Pawan Khera on Tuesday sharply criticised the Centre for its handling of recent terrorist attacks in the country, raising questions over the fate of the perpetrators and the circumstances leading to the recent cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan.
Addressing a press conference, Khera demanded clarity on the status of terrorists involved in high-profile attacks over the past few years. “So far, we have not got answers to what happened to the terrorists in Poonch in 2023, in Ganderbal on October 2, 2024, and in Pahalgam in April 2025. Where are these terrorists?” he asked.
Khera further questioned the terms of the recent ceasefire agreement between India and Pakistan, asking, “On what conditions did the ceasefire happen? How did Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar escape? These are serious issues that demand serious discussion.” The Congress party, along with other opposition parties, has called for a special session of Parliament to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor, India’s retaliatory military campaign. They have also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convene an all-party meeting on the issue.
Meanwhile, the Border Security Force (BSF) on Tuesday reaffirmed that India responded firmly to Pakistan’s cross-border provocations, which included shelling and infiltration attempts. The BSF confirmed that its troops struck terrorist launch pads along the Line of Control on the night of May 9 and 10.
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Speaking to the media, BSF Inspector General (Jammu Frontier) Shashank Anand said that Pakistani forces had opened fire on Indian positions, but Indian troops were fully prepared. “As a result of this preparedness, we inflicted heavy damage on several Pakistani posts during the cross-border firing. We did not suffer any losses ourselves,” he stated.
He elaborated that on May 8, the BSF carried out a decisive operation, causing a visible dip in enemy morale. “On May 9, Pakistan responded with unprovoked cross-border firing, shifting focus to the northern regions of Jammu from the Samba sector. The BSF was ready and launched heavy shelling on Pakistan’s border belt on May 9 and 10,” Anand said. “We had already planned to strike terrorist launch pads near the international border if an opportunity presented itself.”
Operation Sindoor was launched by India on May 7, in the aftermath of the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam that left 26 civilians dead. The operation, involving joint efforts from the Army, BSF, and other security agencies, led to the elimination of over 100 terrorists from groups such as Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen.
Following India’s offensive, Pakistan responded with shelling along the Line of Control and parts of Jammu and Kashmir, as well as drone incursions aimed at Indian border posts. In retaliation, Indian forces targeted and destroyed radar systems, communication nodes, and airfields at 11 Pakistani airbases. Subsequently, on May 10, an understanding was reached between India and Pakistan to cease hostilities, though the precise terms and assurances exchanged remain undisclosed.
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