Jaishankar links Pahalgam terror attack to Pak army chief’s ‘extreme religious outlook’

Speaking to Dutch broadcaster NOS, Jaishankar said the assailants deliberately introduced a religious angle to the killings, with the intent of targeting tourism — the backbone of Kashmir’s economy — and fuelling communal discord.

“Tourists were murdered in front of their families after ascertaining their faith, and it was done in a way in which it was intended to harm tourism, which is the mainstay of the Kashmir economy, and to create a religious discord. Deliberately, an element of religion was introduced,” he said.

He further asserted that the ideological position of Pakistan’s top military leadership may be influencing such terrorist incidents.

“And to understand that, you’ve got to also see the Pakistani side — you have a Pakistani leadership, especially their army chief, who is driven by an extreme religious outlook, so there is clearly some connect between the views that were expressed and the behaviour that was done,” Jaishankar said.

The minister also stated that Indian security agencies have identified the perpetrators, and that The Resistance Front (TRF) — a Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot — had claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack.

“We were able to identify who they (terrorists) were because there were pictures of them. There is a body which is called The Resistance Front, which took responsibility for that attack. The body has been on our radar for a number of years. In 2023, 2024, and 2025, we brought this body to the attention of the UN Security Council's 1267 Sanctions Committee,” he said.

TRF has long been flagged by Indian authorities for its activities and links to cross-border terror.

It has also been repeatedly cited at international forums, including the United Nations.

The minister's remarks come days after General Munir, recently elevated to the rank of field marshal, reignited debate by invoking the two-nation theory — the ideological basis for Pakistan’s creation.

Munir urged Pakistani citizens to raise their children with the understanding that they are “different from Hindus” and described Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein.”