No, India will not tolerate terrorism

The Indian military, which responded to the cross-border terror that brutally shot dead 26 innocent people in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, by attacking its bases, has raised the confidence and self-esteem of the country to the sky. India has once again demonstrated its determination to tame Pakistan, which nurtures terrorism, by taking action against the proponents of demonic terrorism that brutally killed poor tourists in front of their mothers and children in a despicable manner. The attack was named Operation Sindoor after the vermilion they tried to erase from the witnesses to the brutality. The Narendra Modi government had announced its commitment to uproot terrorism, which has been continuously harassing India across the border since April 22, shortly after Pakistan-backed terrorists killed innocent people in the Baisaran Valley of Pahalgam. In addition to the robust restrictions and sanctions adopted by the Centre against the move to sow unrest in Jammu and Kashmir, which is emerging towards peace and normal life, the country also assured support for a counter-offensive across all parties. India's claim of self-defence and retaliation was well acknowledged by the world powers, including the superpowers. After doing the ground work at political and diplomatic levels inside and outside the country, India's three armed forces successfully completed 'Operation Sindoor' on Wednesday morning.

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Pakistan itself has had to admit that the operation, which was carried out on the basis of reliable intelligence, was aimed at destroying terrorist hideouts, rather than violating the integrity of its neighboring country and attacking military installations or indiscriminately endangering civilians as done by terrorists. The Army targeted four terrorist camps in Pakistan and five in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, who sneaked in terrorists via Jammu and Kashmir and organised heinous attacks. The Indian Army determined the targets of the attack by identifying the top leadership of the main sponsors of cross-border terrorism, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Hizbul Mujahideen groups. The army carried out strikes in Pakistan on the Jaish-e-Mohammed headquarters in Bahawalpur, the Lashkar-e-Taiba base in Muridke, the Hizbul Mujahideen base in Sialkot, and Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. It is estimated that 70 people were killed, including fourteen relatives of Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, the mastermind of several terror attacks in India. The Indian Army destroyed Jaish bases in Bahawalpur, Sarjal, Tehra Kalan, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad, Lashkar centers in Muridke, Barnala Markaz Ahle Hadith, and Muzaffarabad, and Hizb camps in Muzaffarabad and Sialkot in Operation Sindoor. It is noteworthy that Pakistan, which had mocked India's Balakot airstrike in response to the Pulwama terror attack as "missing target", has not dared to spread misinformation about the Indian attack this time. They claim to have shot down three Indian Air Force aircraft. At the same time, indiscriminate firing on civilians continues near the Line of Control.

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Operation Sindoor has shown the world that India's zero-tolerance stance towards terrorism is the same in words and practice. The Ministry of Defence has clarified that the forces have carried out an operation that has been measured and limited. Following the attack, Indian diplomatic representatives in various capitals explained India's counter-terrorism measures. Pakistan, despite India's demand for action against those responsible for the Pahalgam attack by sharing objective information and eyewitness accounts, has been moving forward with denials and baseless allegations against India. They have also resorted to further provocations with ballistic missile tests and cross-border firing. India's stance is that the attack was carried out due to the certainty that this negative stance cannot be brooked. Foreign countries by and large have not condemned India's attack. The UN has called for the attacks to be stopped without crossing any limits and not to lead to further conflict and war. That is what the United States, China, and the European Union are also seeking.

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The Indian military's immediate response that 'justice has been done' is meaningful. The brave military has won. However, the country will not be free from the threat of terrorism until the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack are brought before law and full justice done. This is a time when the government and the people must move forward together for that.