Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir's Hindu Hate Speech Preceded Pahalgam Attack

New Delhi: Days before the cowardly Pahalgam attack on Tuesday that claimed the lives of at least 26 tourists and left several injured, Pakistan's Army Chief General Asim Munir's hate speech claiming Kashmir was Pakistan's 'jugular vein' looks no less than provocative rhetoric.

Munir’s Provocative Remarks

Munir in his speech at a Pakistani diaspora event said, “Our position on Kashmir is relentless. It was and remains our 'jugular vein.' We will neither forget it nor abandon our Kashmiri brothers in their valiant fight against Indian occupation.”

The Chief, in his speech also invoked the two-nation theory and Pakistan’s creation in the early 20th century.

Muinir's Remarks Prompt Questions About Timing
The attack claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) affiliate, occurred during a relatively stable and flourishing tourism. However, Munir’s speech days before the attack has come under intense scrutiny prompting questions about its timing.

India's Befitting Reply To Pak

Giving a befitting reply to Munir, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in a press briefing, called on Pakistan to vacate the parts of Jammu and Kashmir it illegally occupied in 1948.

Also read: Pahalgam Attack: Nagpur Woman Breaks Leg After Jumping From Hill While Evading Terrorists

Jaiswal said, “Jammu and Kashmir is a Union Territory of India. Pakistan’s only connection to it is the need to withdraw from the territories it unlawfully occupies."

Countering further, the MEA spokesperson, emphasising that J&K was an integral part of India, said, "How can something foreign be a jugular vein?”

Pakistan’s reiteration of its Kashmir stance followed the US extradition of Tahawwur Rana, a Pakistani origin linked to the ghastly 26/11 Mumbai attacks, whom Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry described as a Canadian citizen.

Jaiswal also warned Pakistan about its role in cross-border terrorism, stating, “No matter how much Pakistan tries, its image as a global terrorism hub will always persist."

Jaiswal asserted that Rana’s extradition was a reminder that Pakistan must bring to justice other Mumbai attack perpetrators it continues to protect them.

At least 28 tourists have been killed in J&K's Pahalgam and several injured in the attack on Tuesday. 

Also read: ‘Go Tell Modi’: Pahalgam Terrorist Told Victim’s Wife Who Pleaded to Be Killed After They Gunned Down Her Husband