Synopsis
The UN has condemned the Pahalgam terrorist attack that claimed 26 lives. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres stressed the unacceptability of civilian attacks and expressed condolences to victims' families. Following the attack, tensions escalated between India and Pakistan, with diplomatic measures announced by India.Key Takeaways
- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the Pahalgam terror attack.
- The attack resulted in 26 fatalities.
- It was carried out by a Pakistan-based terrorist group.
- Tensions between India and Pakistan have intensified.
- India has made significant diplomatic moves post-attack.
United Nations, April 23 (NationPress) The UN is currently examining the terrorist incident in Pahalgam, which resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has expressed strong condemnation of the attack, as stated by his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric on Wednesday.
Guterres unequivocally condemned the armed assault in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, emphasizing that attacks targeting civilians are entirely unacceptable, regardless of circumstances, Dujarric noted.
“The Secretary-General extends his heartfelt condolences to the grieving families of the victims,” he added.
“We are currently assessing that incident, a horrific terror attack in which over 20 lives were lost, and we condemn it in the strongest terms,” he commented.
The attack, carried out by a front group of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), specifically targeted tourists in Pahalgam, a well-known tourist destination.
Following this incident, tensions have escalated between the two neighboring nations.
The Ministry of External Affairs stated, "The Defence, Military, Naval, and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are declared persona non grata" and must leave India within a week. Additionally, the diplomatic mission is mandated to reduce its size.
Furthermore, certain Pakistani nationals residing in India have been given 48 hours to exit the country.
India has also declared that the Indus Water Treaty will be suspended.
When a reporter inquired during his daily briefing about Guterres' concerns regarding the potential for heightened tensions leading to a cross-border conflict, Dujarric responded, “We are not in a position to predict or analyze potential outcomes.”
“I will defer that to analysts, as it could escalate tensions,” he remarked.
The LeT front, which refers to itself as ‘The Resistance Front’ and ‘Kashmir Resistance’, claimed responsibility for the attack.
Given that the LeT is designated an international terrorist organization and faces sanctions, it often creates fronts as a diversionary tactic to evade responsibility for attacks executed by its operatives.
