Pahalgam terror ‘perpetrators and planners must be brought to justice’: Jaishankar to Rubio

Discussed the Pahalgam terrorist attack with US @SecRubio yesterday. Its perpetrators, backers and planners must be brought to justice.

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) May 1, 2025

External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said he informed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, during a phone conversation, that the perpetrators behind last week’s tragic Pahalgam terror attack must be held accountable and brought to justice.

Meanwhile, the United States urged both India and Pakistan to ease tensions, with Rubio speaking to leaders from both countries on Wednesday.

The US State Department said Secretary Rubio expressed support for India in its fight against extremism and urged Pakistan to cooperate in the investigation into the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, in which Pakistan based terrorists killed 26 innocent people, mostly tourists.

Jaishankar said in a post on X that he told Rubio the “perpetrators, backers, and planners” of the attack must be brought to justice. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called on the US to urge India to “dial down the rhetoric and act responsibly.”

Last week, Islamist militants attacked a meadow crowded with tourists in the Pahalgam area of Kashmir. According to officials and survivors, the attackers separated the men, asked their names, and shot non-Muslims at close range.

India’s tough measures against Pak

Tensions between India and Pakistan continue to escalate, with both sides taking retaliatory steps. Recently, India closed its airspace to Pakistani aircraft and suspended the social media accounts of popular Pakistani celebrities such as Hania Amir, Mahira Khan, and Ali Zafar.

India has taken several strong measures — downgrading diplomatic ties, suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, reducing Pakistan’s diplomatic presence in New Delhi, expelling military officials, and closing the Attari border crossing.

Ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) have now entered a seventh consecutive day. On Wednesday, Pakistan reportedly fired unprovoked shots across the International Border in Jammu and Kashmir’s Akhnoor sector.