Operation Sindoor: Exposing Pakistan’s Role in the Pahalgam Attack
In early May 2025, the Indian government launched “Operation Sindoor” in an important escalation of relations between India and Pakistan. The military operation was a direct act of retaliation for the horrific April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, that killed 26 Hindu tourists.
The Pahalgam Tragedy
On April 22, 2025, a peaceful pilgrimage in Pahalgam turned into a scene of horror when militants opened fire on a group of Hindu tourists. The attack caused 26 deaths and several injuries. Investigations by Indian Governments soon led to the involvement of Pakistan-based terrorist groups, namely Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Initiating Operation Sindoor
In retaliation, India launched “Operation Sindoor,” a series of precision airstrikes against nine targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-held Kashmir. The operation was intended to disable terrorist infrastructure and thwart further attacks on Indian property.
Pakistan’s Response
Pakistan condemned the airstrikes while an “act of war,” claiming that the attacks led to civilian fatalities and its sovereignty was breached. The government of Pakistan declared that most of the locations targeted were civilian and that there were no terrorist camps. Pakistan issued orders to its military forces to take corresponding action, which resulted in increased cross-border shelling and more fatalities on both sides.
Evidence of Pakistan’s Involvement
Indian Governments have long held Pakistan responsible for promoting terrorism in the place. Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, announced that Pakistan’s desperation with declining local induction into it has been forced by terrorist groups to introduce foreign terrorists into the Indian property. He emphasized that State-support would be evident in the latest attacks, which were carried out by highly trained foreign operatives equipped with sophisticated weapons.
Furthermore, the investigations have shown that the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) of Pakistan has been complicit in the training and deployment of terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir. Additional evidence that links operatives headquartered in Pakistan to funding and collected by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to support separatist operations in the place.
The Narco-Terrorism Nexus
Pakistan has participated in narco-terrorism operations in addition to overt terrorist operations. Governments have further discovered groups that use narcotics trafficking profits to fund terrorist operations in Jammu and Kashmir. According to the Jammu and Kashmir police, Pakistan is an important hub for narco-terrorism and is used for a staging hub for drugs that are trafficked in from across the border.
International Response and Concerns
The heightening of tensions has attracted the attention of the international community, with major powers calling for restraint from both countries. The United-Nations and other countries like the United States, China, and Russia have appealed for diplomacy to avert further strain on relations between the nuclear neighbors.