The global community is increasingly recognizing Pakistan as the "epicenter of terrorism," a perception fueled by recent events and amplified by India's strong condemnation of its neighbor's alleged support for cross-border terrorism. This recognition follows a series of incidents, including the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 Indian tourists, which India attributes directly to Pakistan-based terrorist groups.
In response to these events, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a strategic shift in India's counter-terrorism policy, marked by the successful "Operation Sindoor." This operation, launched as retaliation for the Pahalgam attack, signifies a new doctrine of decisive retaliation, zero tolerance for nuclear blackmail, and a firm stance against distinguishing between terrorists and their sponsors. Modi praised the Indian Armed Forces for dismantling terrorist infrastructure within Pakistan, asserting that Pakistan was left "begging for peace."
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has been vocal in asserting Pakistan's role as the source of terrorist activities. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that the international community understands India's position and acknowledges that the Pahalgam attack targeted Indian tourists, with the source of terrorism originating across the border in Pakistan. He highlighted that several foreign leaders have expressed support for India's right to defend itself and protect its citizens.
India appears to have incorporated insights from the Ukrainian conflict, successfully intercepting both Turkish drones and Chinese missiles, effectively neutralizing Pakistan's intended strategic advantage of deploying them en masse as a response to Operation Sindoor.
The accusations have intensified following the hijacking of the Jaffar Express by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), where the siege lasted approximately 30 hours, resulting in the deaths of 21 hostages and four security personnel. While Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan stated that the train attack was orchestrated from abroad, without directly implicating India, he emphasized that the BLA rebels were in contact with planners based in Afghanistan. This statement led India to strongly reject Pakistan's allegations of supporting terrorism in connection with the Balochistan train attack, with New Delhi advising Islamabad to reflect on its shortcomings instead of blaming others for its failures. The MEA spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, stated, "The whole world knows where the epicenter of global terrorism lies. Pakistan should look inwards instead of pointing fingers and shifting the blame for its internal problems and failures on others."
These developments have further strained relations between India and Pakistan, particularly concerning the Himalayan region of Kashmir, which has been a point of contention since 1947. India has repeatedly accused Pakistan of harboring armed fighters who launch attacks on its soil, including the 2008 Mumbai attacks.
While Pakistan's Defence Minister Khwaja Asif has denied that Pakistan shelters active terrorists or terrorist outfits, and claims that those living in its territory "do not indulge in terror activities," these assertions have been met with skepticism from the international community. India has presented evidence linking the Pakistan Army to known terrorists, pointing to "state funerals" for individuals killed in Indian air strikes who had confirmed terrorist links.
The global recognition of Pakistan as a hub of terrorism has significant implications for the region and international security. It underscores the urgent need for Pakistan to address its internal issues related to terrorism and to take concrete steps to dismantle terrorist infrastructure within its borders. The international community continues to urge Pakistan to cooperate in bringing the perpetrators, organizers, and financiers of terrorist acts to justice.
