Pahalgam attack was 'original escalation', Pakistan targeted 15 spots in India: Foreign Secy

New Delhi: Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri here on Thursday argued that India never tried to escalate tensions with Pakistan. He said that the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam was the real escalation, and India responded to it with Operation Sindoor. Claiming that India never escalated tensions with Pakistan, he added that Indian forces targeted no military establishments during Operation Sindoor.

“India only targetted terrorist infrastructures in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir. Yesterday, Pakistan launched a targeted attack on the Sikh community of J&K- hitting a gurdwara in Poonch and hitting the Sikh community members, who came under attack, and three individuals were killed in the attacks... A total of 16 civilians have been killed in Poonch and several others have been injured. Pakistan will be responsible for any further escalation in the current situation,” he added.

He was addressing the media after Colonel Sophiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh briefed on how India neutralised Pakistan missiles in 15 locations.

“On the night of 07-08 May 2025, Pakistan attempted to engage a number of military targets in Northern and Western India including Awantipura, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bhatinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj, using drones and missiles. These were neutralised by the Integrated Counter UAS Grid and Air Defence systems. The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," said Qureshi.

She added that Indian armed forced targetted Air Defence Radars and systems at a number of locations Pakistan. According to the official, Indian responded in the same domain with same intensity as Pakistan. She confirmed that an Air Defence System at Lahore has been neutralised by the Indian forces.

A day after Operation Sindoor, Pakistan has increased the intensity of its unprovoked firing across the Line of Control using Mortars and heavy calibre Artillery in areas in Kupwara, Baramulla, Uri, Poonch, Mendhar and Rajouri sectors in Jammu and Kashmir, confirmed the officials. They added that 16 people, including three women and five children, were killed in Pakistani firing.

“India was compelled to respond to bring mortar and artillery fire from Pakistan to a halt. Indian Armed Forces reiterate their commitment to non-escalation, provided it is respected by the Pakistani military,” said Singh.

Vikram Misri criticised Pakistan for washing its hands off terrorism and accused the neighbouring country of defending The Resistance Front (TRF) who claimed responsibility of the Pahalgam attack.

"Pakistan's reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism is rooted in a number of instances. I don't need to remind where Osama Bin Laden was found and who called him a martyr.Pakistan is also home to a large number of UN proscribed terrorists and also to terrorists proscribed by many countries.You must have seen in the last few days, their Defence minister and former foreign minister accepted their country's involvement with such terror groups,” he pointed out. 

India never targetted Neelum-Jhelum dam
Addressing the media, the foreign secretary accused Pakistan of circulating false news on India’s retaliation. He dismissed Pakistan’s claims on India’s conspiracy to attack Neelum-Jhelum dam in Pak Occupied Kashmir. 

Pakistan also alleges that we have targeted the Neelum-Jhelum dam in Pojk, it is absolutely fabricated and a blatant lie. India has only targeted terrorist infrastructure... If this kind of a claim is a pretext of targeting Indian infrastructure of similar nature, then Pakistan will be solely responsible for the consequences that will undoubtedly follow,” he said.

Talking about the Indus Waters Treaty, Misri said that Pakistan violated the treaty multiple times and did not respond to India’s calls for discussions to modify the agreement.

“For the last 2.5 years, India has been in communication with the Government of Pakistan. We have sent several notices to them requesting negotiations to discuss the modification of the treaty. India has been honouring the treaty for more than 6 decades, even during the period when Pakistan imposed multiple wars on us. Pakistan has been the one acting in violation of the treaty, deliberately creating legal roadblocks in India, exercising its legitimate rights on the Western rivers.It is India's patience that we have been adhering to the treaty for the last 65 years, even after so many provocations. The conditions have now changed. This treaty was based on the engineering techniques of the 50s and 60s.Technological changes and advancements have to be taken into account,” he added.