Daily Briefing: The Army's freehand in Pahalgam response
Good morning,
From India's storied Golconda mines—the birthplace of legends like the Koh-i-Noor and Darya-i-Nur—emerged The Golconda Blue, once destined to fetch a whopping $35–$50 million at Christie's. It was poised to become the largest Fancy Vivid Blue diamond ever auctioned. Its anonymous owners have instead opted for a private sale within the family, pulling the gem from public view. But its legacy is anything but quiet. Once owned by the Maharaja of Indore, passed to famed jeweller Harry Winston, and briefly held by the Maharaja of Baroda, the Golconda Blue has a rich history. Read about it in our explainer.
On that note, let's get to today's edition.
Big Story
As the government readies its response to the April 21 Pahalgam attack, India's top defence leaders gathered at the Prime Minister's residence on Tuesday. Per sources, PM Modi told them the armed forces have ' complete operational freedom to decide on the mode, targets and timing of our response'. A meeting of the Cabinet Committee of Security (CCS)—comprising the Prime Minister, Defence Minister, Home Minister, Finance Minister and External Affairs Minister—is expected later today.
So, what should India's response be? Our columnists C Raja Mohan, M N Sabharwal, and Manish Sabharwal weigh in. Raja Mohan argues that India's retaliation must not just punish but compel a political reckoning inside Pakistan. (Read) Meanwhile, the Sabharwals examine the strategic arc of India's Kashmir policy and why this attack demands a forceful reaction.
Adding fuel to the fire, Pakistani minister Attaullah Tarar has warned that Islamabad has 'credible intelligence' suggesting India could launch a military operation within the next 24–36 hours.
Only in Express
The diplomatic measures in the wake of the Pahalgam attack have spelt despair for several families. As India ordered Pakistani nationals to return to their countries, the Attari border post has become a site of teary farewells and heartbreak. For many, the suspension of visas for Pakistani nationals has meant separation from spouses and children. My colleague, Kamaldeep Singh Brar, documents their stories.
Similar scenes are playing out miles away in Jammu and Kashmir, where many fear a midnight knock by the police, which will send them to Attari alongside other deportees.
From the Front Page
Bottom line: In the ongoing case over the alleged use of Pegasus, an Israeli-made spyware, to surveil journalists, activists and politicians, the Supreme Court has underlined that there is nothing wrong if a country has spyware and employs it for security. The only question would be against whom it is used.
(S)heroes: Last year, Himachal Pradesh's Chief Minister announced his government's plans to create an experimental women-led district administration. In the first such district, Lahaul and Spiti, all seven top governance and administrative posts are now held by women.
Must Read
Fair winds: India is all set to acquire 26 Rafale-M fighter jets after its Rs 63,000 crore deal with France. An expert, Rear Admiral Mukul Asthana (Retd), explains the significance of the aircraft for the armed forces and why the Rafale fighter jets would improve interoperability between the Navy and the Air Force.
Island Voice: The Great Andamanese, which includes a mixture of tribal languages such as Jero, Sare, Bo, and Khora, has fewer than 10 speakers alive. In the face of this extinction, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have embraced a unique linguistic identity as speakers of Andamanese Hindi. Unlike Hindi, the language does not have any gender agreement or number agreement. Read Adrija Roychowdhury's fascinating piece on the origins and evolution of Andamanese Hindi.
And Finally…
A handy companion for many, ChatGPT has a new offering for its users. OpenAI is set to launch a new shopping option, especially for users who research and buy products with the help of the AI chatbot. For now, the feature is advertisement-free, which may have Google worried.
🎧 Before you go, don't forget to tune in to the latest '3 Things' podcast episode. Today's lineup: Crackdown on Bangladeshi illegal immigrants in Ahmedabad and the shutting down of tourist sites in J&K.
Business As Usual by EP Unny
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
38 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Multi-party delegation meets Jaishankar after 4-nation tour on Operation Sindoor
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday met members of a multi-party delegation and received feedback from them on how they exposed Pakistan in various countries over its support to terrorism. The delegation led by BJP leader Baijayant Panda met Jaishankar at his office here after the key diplomatic tour and presented their report. The delegation returned home Tuesday morning after visiting Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Algeria. In these countries, the delegation members met foreign dignitaries and Indian diaspora during a series of meetings and exposed Pakistan's support to terrorism in the wake of Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent Operation Sindoor. "It was a very good meeting, and we gave External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar our feedback. All members of the delegation provided their inputs and shared their views with him," said delegation member Harsh V Shringla, a former foreign secretary. Asked what the minister told them, he said, "He (Jaishankar) told us that our objectives were fulfilled and congratulated the delegation and its leader". Panda told reporters that their visit abroad was successful where they could explain India's "new normal" against Pakistan over terrorism. He said the delegation members were united and gave a very strong message to the countries they travelled. "A successful four-nation tour — Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Algeria. All four countries have taken clear steps against terrorism and understand India's principled stand...," he said in a post on X. Panda said the countries they visited understand India and its history has been such that "we don't need to give any justification". "We are a country of non-violence and have provided shelter to people from several countries. We had wanted to give the message of India and the new normal that we will retaliate terrorist violence. We ave also imposed economic sanctions and our goal is that Pakistan should stop its policy of supporting terrorism," he told reporters. Panda also said that the countries they visited are supporting India, not just in economic growth but also against terrorism. Other delegation members who met the external affairs minister included former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Phangnon Konyak, Rekha Sharma and Satnam Singh Sandhu. Other members of the eight-member delegation included Nishikant Dubey and Asaduddin Owaisi.
Hindustan Times
an hour ago
- Hindustan Times
Rejection, obsession, murder: what led to Pakistan TikTok star Sana Yousaf's killing
Sana Yousaf, a 17-year-old TikTok star with over 8,00,000 followers, was shot dead in her house in Pakistan's Islamabad in what police are calling a "gruesome and cold-blooded" act driven by rejection and obsession. Pakistani TikToker Sana Yousaf's followers were over a million across platforms, however, the rising digital influencer's life was cut short on Monday by a man who had been persistently contacting her online, according to an AFP news agency report. Police say the suspect, a 22-year-old man, had loitered outside her house for hours before the attack, the report said. 'It was a case of repeated rejections. The boy was trying to reach out to her time and again,' Islamabad police chief Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi was quoted as saying at a press briefing. 'It was a gruesome and cold-blooded murder,' Rizvi added. Sana Yousaf was popular for her lip-sync videos, skincare tips, and collaborations with beauty brands. Her final TikTok, posted just hours before her death, showed her cutting a cake to celebrate her 17th birthday. In the wake of the killing, disturbing comments emerged on social media, with some users suggesting her murder was warranted due to her online presence—a sentiment rooted in the country's entrenched notions of "honour" and gender roles. 'You reap what you sow,' read one such comment. Women's rights activist Nighat Dad condemned the backlash, saying such reactions normalise gender-based violence in Pakistan. 'The vile comments under news of Sana's murder aren't just hateful noise, they're part of a mindset that normalizes violence against women in Pakistan,' she said online, as per AFP. Muniba Mazari, Goodwill Ambassador of UN Women Pakistan, wrote on X, Another day, another precious life taken for simply saying No! We all failed to protect a 17 year old vibrant girl who was creating joy for millions. #SanaYousaf You deserved better. We failed you!" The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has long warned about the prevalence of violence against women, especially in cases where men respond violently to rejected romantic or marriage proposals. Sana Yousaf's killing has drawn parallels to past high-profile attacks, including the 2021 murder of Noor Mukadam and the 2016 stabbing of Khadija Siddiqui—both victims of rejected suitors.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Pakistani document shows India's extensive strikes during Operation Sindoor; lists 7 new targets
A new Pakistani document has shed fresh light on India's precision strikes on Pakistani targets during the four-day clashes last month as it listed at least seven previously-unknown locations. The document showed India targeting locations in Peshawar in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province, Attock, Bahawalnagar, Chhor and Hyderabad in Sindh province and Gujrat and Jhang in Punjab province. These details featured in the document Pakistan released on Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos which it had launched in response to India's Operation Sindoor . The document shared with the Pakistani media features graphic details of India's drone strikes targeting Pakistan on May 8, 9 and 10. India launched the operation on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan using long-range weapons such as the Brahmos cruise missile in response to the Pahalgam terror attack. The Indian military targeted nine terror infrastructures that included Markaz Taiba of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in Muridke, Markaz Subhan Allah of Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) in of Bahawalpur and Hizbul Mujahideen's Mehmoona Joya Facility in Sialkot. Live Events It also struck LeT's base in Markaz Ahle Hadith in Barnala and its camp in Muzaffarabad's Shawai Nalla. Following the Indian action, Pakistan attempted to attack Indian military bases on May 8, 9 and 10. The Pakistani attempts were strongly responded to by the Indian side by inflicting heavy damages to a number of key Pakistani military installations including air bases, air defence systems, command and control centres and radar sites. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on May 10 announced that India and Pakistan reached an understanding to stop all firings and military actions on land, air and sea, with immediate effect. New Delhi has been maintaining that India's fierce attacks on May 10 forced Pakistan to plead for ending the hostilities. India said Operation Sindoor reflected India's new approach in combating cross-border terrorism from Pakistan and its resolve to not succumb to Islamabad's nuclear blackmail.
