Foreign Secy Vikram Misri highlights Pakistan’s role in removing TRF’s name from UNSC’s press statement

NEW DELHI: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri has highlighted Pakistan’s role in removing references to the terrorist group The Resistance Front (TRF), which claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam terrorist attack, from the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) press statement issued on April 25.

While addressing a media briefing on Operation Sindoor in Delhi on Wednesday, Misri said that TRF, which is a front for the UN-proscribed terrorist group Lashkar-e-Tayyiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack and added that claims made by TRF were reposted by LeT. He recalled how India had earlier shared inputs regarding the TRF with the UN, bringing out its role as a cover for terrorists based in Pakistan.

#WATCH | Delhi | #OperationSindoor| Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri says, “…On April 25, Pakistan’s pressure to remove the reference to TRF from the media release of UNSC shouldn’t be ignored. Pahalgam terrorist attack has exposed the links of Pakistan with terrorists…” pic.twitter.com/9vbn8Lja7I

— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2025

He said, “A group calling itself The Resistance Front has claimed responsibility for the attack. This group is a front for the UN-proscribed Pakistani terrorist group Lashkar-e-Tayyiba. It is notable that India had given input about the TRF in the half-yearly report to the monitoring team of the UN’s 1267 Sanctions Committee in May and November 2024, bringing out its role as a cover for Pakistan- based terrorist groups. Earlier, too, in December 2023, India had informed the monitoring team about Lashkar and Jaish-e-Mohammed operating through small terror groups, such as the TRF. Pakistan’s pressure to remove references to TRF in the April 25 Security Council press statement is notable in this regard.”

“Investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack have brought out the communication nodes of terrorists in and into Pakistan. The claims made by The Resistance Front and their reposting by now social media handles of the Lashkar e Taiba speak for themselves. Identification of the attackers based on eyewitness accounts as well as other information available to law enforcement agency has also progressed,” he added.

He said that Pakistan has a well-deserved reputation of being a haven for tourists from around the world with terrorists enjoying impunity there. He said that Pakistan also wilfully misleads the world and international forums like FATF on the terrorism issue.

Highlighting role of Pakistan-based terrorists to the Pahalgam terrorist attack, he said, “Our intelligence has developed an accurate picture of the planners and backers of this team. The features of this attack also tie in with Pakistan’s long track record of perpetrating cross-border terrorism into India which is well documented and beyond questions. Pakistan also has a well-deserved reputation as a haven for terrorists from around the world with internationally processed terrorist enjoying impunity there. In addition, Pakistan has been known to willfully mislead the World and International Forum as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on this issue. The Sajid Mir case in which this terrorist was declared dead and then in response to international pressure brought back to life, found alive and arrested is the most glaring example.”

He recalled how Pakistan-based terrorists conducted a “savage attack” on Indian tourists in Pahalgam on April 22. He said that the attack in Pahalgam was marked by extreme barbarity, with victims being killed with headshots in front of their families. He said that the attack was aimed to undermine the normalcy returning to Jammu and Kashmir.

Vikram Misri said, “As you are all aware, on April 22, 2025, Pakistani and Pakistan-trained terrorists belonging to the Lashkar-e-Taiba carried out a savage attack on Indian tourists at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir in India. They murdered 26 people, including one national of Nepal, causing the largest number of civilian casualties in a terrorist attack in India since the 26th November 2008 attacks in Mumbai.”

“The attack in Pahalgam was marked by extreme barbarity, with the victims mostly killed with headshots from close range and in front of their families. Family members were deliberately traumatised through the manner of the killing, accompanied by the exhortation that they should take back the message. The attack was clearly driven by the objective of undermining the normalcy returning to Jammu and Kashmir. In particular, it was designed to impact the mainstay of the economy, tourism, with a record 23 million tourists visiting the valley last year,” he added.

Vikram Misri said that the terror attack in Pahalgam “generated deep anger in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of India.” He said that Pakistan did not take any action against terrorists following the attack in Pahalgam and rather it resorted to denials and allegations.

Misri said, “Following the attacks, the government of India was naturally responded with a set of initial measures relating to any engagement with Pakistan. You are all aware of the decision that was announced on the 23rd of April. However, it was deemed essential that the perpetrators and planners of the 22nd April attack be brought to justice. Despite a fortnight having passed since the attacks, there have been no demonstrable step from Pakistan to take action against the terrorist infrastructure on its territory or on territory under its control. Instead, all it has been indulged in are denials and allegations.”

“Our intelligence monitoring of Pakistan-based terrorist modules indicated that further attacks against India were impending, there was a compulsion both to deter and to preempt. Earlier this morning, as you will be aware that India exercised its right to respond and preempt as well as deter more such cross-border attacks. These actions were measured, non-elementary, proportionate and responsible. The focus was on dismantling the terrorist infrastructure and disabling terrorists likely to be sent across India,” he added.

Indian Armed Forces successfully struck nine terror targets, four in Pakistan, including Bahawalpur, Muridke, and Sialkot, and five in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK), using special precision munitions in a coordinated operation, sources said.

India’s Ministry of Defence said the action was in direct response to the terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam on April 22, which claimed the lives of 26 people and injured several others.

In its statement, the Ministry of Defence stated, “A little while ago, the Indian Armed Forces launched ‘OPERATION SINDOOR’, hitting terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir from where terrorist attacks against India have been planned and directed.”

“Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature. No Pakistani military facilities have been targeted. India has demonstrated considerable restraint in selection of targets and method of execution,” it added. (ANI)