Latest news with #Jaish-e-Mohammad
Hindustan Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Javed Akhtar's retort to Pakistani actor Bushra Ansari's claim he can't rent home: ‘Me and Shabana sleep on footpath'
Lyricist Javed Akhtar had a retort to Pakistani actor Bushra Ansari's claim that he can't even rent a house in Mumbai. In an interview with Lallantop, he was told about how Bushra opined that he should 'stay quiet like Naseeruddin Shah' after he spoke out against the Pahalgam attacks. Here's what he said. (Also Read: 'Narak jaana pasand karuga': Javed Akhtar on what he would choose 'between Pakistan and hell') Javed was asked about Bushra, and he replied, 'There's this famous Pakistani TV actor, Bushra Ansari, who once asked angrily why I won't stay quiet. She said I should be quiet like Naseeruddin Shah. But who is she to suggest that to me? I might have 25 problems, but I am an Indian when it comes to her.' When told about her statement that he can't even rent a house in Mumbai, Javed joked, 'Yeah, me and Shabana sleep on the footpath these days,' and added, 'See, it is true that Shabana wanted to buy a flat around 25 years ago but they refused saying she's a Muslim. These were people whose parents hailed from Sindh. They were driven out during the partition. The wounds run deep, and that bitterness was taken out on us. But who is responsible for that? We got so much love here, she needs to look at her own country's history.' Bushra had reacted to Javed's speech at the Gauravshaali Maharashtra Mahotsav, where he condemned the killing of 26 tourists by terrorists in Pahalgam's meadows. She reportedly stated on social media that he needs to stay quiet on the issue, like Naseeruddin. On 22 April, terrorists attacked the Baisaran meadow near the Pahalgam town of Anantnag district, and gunned down 26 civilians, mostly tourists. Several others were injured as well. Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot, The Resistance Front, claimed responsibility for the attack. India has accused Pakistan of cross-border terrorism; however, Pakistan has denied the charges. In retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including Bahawalpur, which is a stronghold of the Jaish-e-Mohammad terror outfit.
India Today
a day ago
- Politics
- India Today
Kashmir Terrorism History Part 8: Operation Sindoor, India's Strikes on Pakistan After Pahalgam Terror Attack
In the concluding part of our series, we revisit India's bold strikes on Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack Advertisement April 22, 2025, Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir The Baisaran Valley, a serene meadow nestled in the Pir Panjal range, was alive with the hum of tourists. In the distance, the Lidder River danced its way to the Kashmir Valley. The air was ripe with the smell of pine trees and saffron-laced steaming kahwa. But in the shadows of the dense forest, a sinister plot was brewing. Around 3:15 PM, the peace shattered. As masked terrorists sprayed bullets at tourists, the staccato rhythm of gunfire rose through the woods. It mingled with cries for help and wails of mourners, shrouding the meadow in surreal horror. By the time the dust settled, 26 civilians lay dead, their blood staining the lush green grass. Among the dead were men, shot at point blank range in front of their wives, wiping out the symbol of Hindu women's honour–their sindoor. The attack, claimed by a fringe terror group, was a cowardly strike on innocent tourists, with the goal of destabilising India's fragile northern frontier. The nation mourned its martyrs. In New Delhi, the wheels of retribution were already turning. May 7, 2025, 12:45AM IST In a dimly lit operations room, Air Marshal AK Bharti pointed his baton at satellite imagery of nine terrorist camps across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). In a voice forged in fire, he identified the targets—Markaz Subhan Allah in Bahawalpur, Markaz Taiba in Muridke, and others—as hubs for Jaish-e-Mohammad, Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), and Hizbul Mujahideen (HM). The three terror groups, based in and nurtured by Pakistan, had been striking with impunity in India. It was time, a grim-faced Bharti announced, for payback. Pakistan had been given enough opportunities to pull down the jihadist infrastructure. From diplomacy to surgical strikes, India had tried everything. But Islamabad was unwilling to mend its ways. The clock was ticking. Pakistan's inaction against these groups had forced India's hand. 'Operation Sindoor is green,' Bharti announced, his voice steady. The mission was precise: neutralise the terrorist infrastructure without hitting Pakistani military or civilian sites. India's message was clear—retribution for Pahalgam, but no damage to civilians. On cue, pilots of the Indian Air Force strapped into Sukhoi and Rafale jets loaded with SCALP missiles and AASM Hammer glide bombs. At 1:05 AM, the jets roared into the night sky, their noses scything through the darkness toward their targets. The wrath of India was about to fall on Pakistan. 1:30 AM IST, Across the Border Chief of the Pakistan Army, General Asim Munir, was woken up by an urgent call. It was raining mayhem, a terrified voice croaked on a secure line. 'Detail?' Munir's voice froze. 'In Bahawalpur, a missile struck Markaz Subhan Allah, reducing JeM's training compound to rubble. Simultaneously, explosions lit up Muridke, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad. The strikes, lasting just 25 minutes, were surgical,' the caller stuttered. His eyes groggy with disbelief, Munir rubbed them till they were red. But the image, he realised, wasn't a nightmare. It was all happening in Pakistan. Within minutes, Islamabad was counting its losses. Over 100 terrorists, including masterminds of the 1999 IC-814 hijacking and the 2019 Pulwama attack, were killed. The jihadi training spots in nine places had been obliterated. 1:30 AM, IST, India Satellite feeds relayed real-time imagery of Op Sindoor: burning structures, collapsed infra, and chaos in terror camps. The Indian Air Force had broken the back of Pakistan's terror modules, setting its jihadi agenda back by many years. At 1:45 AM, the Indian Ministry of Defence announced: 'Operation Sindoor has successfully targeted terrorist infrastructure responsible for the Pahalgam attack. This is a calibrated counter-terror measure.' In New Delhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh posted on X: 'Bharat Mata ki Jai.' His salutation ignited a wave of national pride. Across the border, Pakistan was seething with the fire of revenge. The subcontinent was perched on a precipice. 3:00 AM IST, Rawalpindi, Pakistan The room buzzed with excitement and a sense of doom as Lieutenant Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, head of Inter-Services Public Relations, faced a barrage of questions, cameras whirring at frenetic pace. His face was grim as he announced India's strikes had killed 31 civilians—and a mosque had been erased. In a statement shortly after the Indian strikes, ISPR said all planes of the Pakistan Air Force were airborne. 'All strikes were made by India from its own airspace. Pakistan will respond to it at a time and place of its own choosing. It will not go unanswered. The temporary pleasure of India will be replaced by enduring grief,' Pakistan stated. Advertisement Indian officials swiftly countered, releasing OSINT evidence showing only terrorist sites were hit. The mosque, they clarified, was a JeM den. By 4:00 AM, Pakistan closed its airspace, grounding commercial flights. India followed, suspending air traffic in northern cities like Srinagar and Amritsar. Along the Line of Control (LoC), Pakistani forces opened fire in the Uri sector, killing Indian civilians. The escalation was swift and deliberate. After a hiatus of 26 years post Kargil, the two neighbours were ready for another armed conflict. 10:00 AM IST, New Delhi Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri stood at a podium, flanked by Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh. A map projected behind them smoldering ruins of terror camps. 'Operation Sindoor was a response to Pakistan's failure to act against terrorism,' Misri declared. 'We have no quarrel with Pakistan's people or military. But we will not tolerate terror.' As Misri spoke, Pakistan's disinformation campaign kicked into high gear. ISPR claimed strikes on 15 Indian targets, including Srinagar Airbase. Social media was flooded with grainy videos of explosions, but India's Press Information Bureau debunked them as recycled footage from Pakistan's internal clashes. May 7-10, LoC Pakistan's retaliation intensified. Drone swarms, armed with explosives, crossed into Indian airspace, targeting Indian cities. Indian S-400 systems roared to life, blowing up the drones mid-flight. The debris of shredded drones rained over Punjab and Rajasthan, sparking fires but no fatalities. Pakistan then launched Fatah-series missiles, aiming for Indian military sites. Most were intercepted. In response, Indian jets struck a Pakistani air defense system in Lahore and an aircraft hangar. The strikes, confirmed at 8:00 AM on May 8, were a warning. 'Pakistan's escalatory actions are reckless. We urge restraint but are prepared for any eventuality,' Misri announced. There was panic in Pakistan. On the intervening night of May 9-10, around 2:30 AM, General Munir called Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif through a secure phone. 'India has launched its ballistic missiles. One has landed at the Nur Khan airbase and some at other areas,' Prime Minister Sharif was to accept later in a public address. The LoC bore the brunt of violence. Pakistani shelling in Poonch and Kupwara killed 12 Indian civilians and one soldier. Drones—300 to 400 in total—swarmed Indian airspace, targeting military and civilian sites. In Jammu, Pathankot and Udhampur, lights were put out as sirens blazed through the night. The iconic Golden Temple in Amritsar was dipped in darkness as intelligence inputs warned of a plot to destroy the shrine, blaming it on India. In Ferozpur, a downed drone sparked a fire, injuring three. Indian forces, stretched but resolute, neutralised Pakistani missiles and reportedly shot down an F-16 near Pathankot, though confirmation was pending. In New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened the Cabinet Committee on Security. 'Operation Sindoor is our new doctrine,' he said. 'Terror will meet swift justice.' The strikes had exposed Pakistan's vulnerabilities—its Chinese air defenses were no match for India's BrahMos missiles and Rafale jets. But the cost was rising. In the early hours of May 10, Pakistan announced its counter-strike: Operation Bunyan al-Marsoos. Missiles launched from Pakistan headed for targets in India, mainly airbases. The damage yet again was limited. But the specter of an all-out war, with nuclear escalation, loomed. May 10, 2025, 5:00 PM IST As the subcontinent braced for another night of horror, blackouts and air strikes, a breakthrough came unexpectedly. US President Donald Trump, via Truth Social, announced a ceasefire. 'India and Pakistan agree to stand down. No more bloodshed!' he posted. In the background, military hotlines buzzed as both sides halted operations. May 11–13, India On May 11, the Indian Army reported a quiet night along the LoC, but tensions simmered. A senior official clarified: 'Sindoor is on pause, not ended.' On May 12, Bharti briefed the media, revealing the Navy's role and the operation's success in avoiding civilian casualties. We hit what we aimed for—'terrorists, not innocents,' he said. On May 13, India released before-and-after satellite imagery, showing obliterated terrorist camps and damaged Pakistani military sites like Noor Khan airbase. With the immediate goal achieved, Modi addressed the nation 'Operation Sindoor is India's policy now. No terrorist will find safe haven. Every terror attack will now be treated as an act of war.' May 14, 2025, New Delhi In a final briefing, Misri detailed how India's indigenous BrahMos missiles and Rafale jets had outmaneuvered Pakistan's defenses. Pakistan's retaliatory PL-15 missiles and Turkish-style drones had been neutralised, a testament to India's air defence systems. The clashes also exposed Pakistan and its allies, both covert and overt. The world took note: India had redefined counter-terrorism, striking hard but avoiding all-out war. The Aftermath: An Uneasy Calm Across the border, Pakistan licked its wounds, its terrorist proxies crippled, military exposed. But its leaders refused to accept the damage—announcing defiance and victory that sounds like a parody. Pahalgam's scars remain. But Operation Sindoor has sent a loud message: India will no longer wait for justice. It will deliver it swiftly, on a war footing. The days of diplomacy on terror are over. Operation Sindoor, named after the vermilion mark married women apply on their forehead, has reshaped India's stance. Terror would no longer go unanswered. But in the shadow of the Himalayas, peace remains a fragile hope. Kashmir continues to be Pakistan's festering dream. Its terror groups continue to treat it as the cause for their existence. The Valley has come a long way from Pakistan's early attempts at infiltration, and jihad through proxies. (See previous parts ). The stakes continue to rise as Pakistan directs its frustration at Kashmir, while India's tolerance for terror keeps coming down. Will the peace hold? Or, will Pakistan test India's resolve again with another sinister plan? After eight decades of violence, terror and wars, the Valley's fate hangs on a slender thread of hope. The tenuous hope that Pakistan will move on from the past, and accept Kashmir as an inseparable part of India. For the next Pakistani misadventure in Kashmir will be an existential threat for Islamabad, and a disaster for the subcontinent. (The series is concluded.)
India Today
a day ago
- Politics
- India Today
PM's emotional meeting with Pahalgam victim's family: Fight against terror not over
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met the family of Shubham Dwivedi, a businessman from Kanpur who was among the 26 people killed in the Pahalgam terror attack in Pahalgam, and assured them that the fight against terrorism was not over yet. The emotional meeting took place at Chakeri airport after PM Modi arrived in Kanpur from Bihar for a day-long his meeting with Shubham's wife Aishanya, the Prime Minister said the entire country and the government were with the family. The 31-year-old businessman married Aishanya on February 12 earlier this year and was on a vacation in Pahalgam's Baisaran valley when tragedy struck. Shubham's wife had previously said the terrorists asked her husband his religion before shooting him dead, point-blank. Recounting her meeting with the Prime Minister, Aishanya said he was "very, very sad" about the Pahalgam massacre and spoke to them like a member of the family. She said that PM Modi assured the family of another meeting."It was a very emotional meeting. The PM was himself very, very sad about the Pahalgam killings. He said that the entire nation and the government are standing with us. PM Modi said the fight against terrorism has not ended," she told Prime Minister also placed a hand on the shoulder of Shubham's father and consoled him as he broke down."The PM spoke to us just like a guardian. Like us, he too got emotional and assured us of his government's full support. We also praised the manner in which India retaliated to the Pahalgam killings with Operation Sindoor," PTI quoted Sanjay Dwivedi as launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 in response to the Pahalgam killings, flattening nine terror camps linked to Jaish-e-Mohammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba deep inside Pakistan. India also targeted 11 key military sites in Pakistan as Islamabad launched drone strikes on civilian areas along the Watch
Indian Express
5 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Nine lessons from Operation Sindoor
Operation Sindoor has set a benchmark in India's battle against terrorism. The Indian security forces not only destroyed terrorist camps in the heart of Pakistan, including those of the notorious Lashkar-e-Taiba at Muridke and the Jaish-e-Mohammad at Bahawalpur, they also demonstrated their technological superiority and, by damaging at least eight Pakistan Air Force bases, conveyed to the world that India could knock out its western neighbour in any future conflict. What was even more significant that it marked the announcement of a new national security doctrine with three salient features: That in the event of a terrorist attack on India, there would be a befitting response on our own terms; that India will not be browbeaten by any nuclear blackmail; and that we will not differentiate between the perpetrators of terrorism and their masterminds. It was a message to Pakistan as well as to the rest of the world. To Pakistan, specifically, it was conveyed that terror and talks cannot go together, nor can terror and trade, and that water and blood cannot flow together. There is, however, no room for complacency. We need to calmly deliberate over the events of the past month, identify our weaknesses in the security grid and during Operation Sindoor which were exploited by the terrorists and the Pakistani forces. There are nine points I would like to highlight. One: We need to set our house in order. We need to strengthen our intelligence apparatus at the ground level. It is surprising that neither the IB nor R&AW nor even the state intelligence had any clue about the impending attack in Pahalgam. The police response to an emergency must also improve. The terrorists had a free run of the Baisaran meadow for at least 20 minutes. In a union territory saturated by security forces, this is unacceptable. Two: Statehood should be restored to J&K, and sooner the better. The Government of India is committed to the restoration of statehood. Why delay it then? We also need to do more to win over the support of the local people. At least 15 of them are believed to have provided logistical support to the marauders at Pahalgam. Three: At the political level, we should get The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Lashkar, branded as a terrorist organisation. An Indian team is already in New York to take up the matter with the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism. The TRF took responsibility for the Pahalgam terror attack, though later on, they backed out when they realised the consequences of their admission. Our diplomats should also start working to put Pakistan back again in the Grey List of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Four: The US's role during the conflict has been disappointing, to say the least. Initially, it gave the impression that it would not like to get involved. Vice President Vance clearly said, 'We are not going to get involved in the middle of a war that is fundamentally none of our business'. President Trump, however, unfortunately, hyphenated India and Pakistan and claimed credit for brokering the ceasefire. The IMF loan of $2.3 billion to Pakistan at this juncture could also not have materialised without implicit US support. Can we trust the US in the event of any future confrontation with Pakistan or China? Russia has been a more reliable ally, but it has come too close to China in recent years. From a long-term strategic point of view, Japan, Vietnam, South Korea, Philippines and even Taiwan would perhaps be more reliable allies. Five: We need to redefine our relations with countries that came out openly in support of Pakistan, especially Turkey and Azerbaijan. Public opinion is already agitated against these countries, and the government has initiated some measures, like revoking the security clearance to Turkish ground service provider Celebi and its associated companies at nine airports. In the case of China, we must not succumb to any commercial temptations and be absolutely firm that trade and border disputes cannot go together. Six: Drones played a major role in the conflict. Pakistan sent swarms of these all along the international border from Kashmir to Rajasthan on the nights of May 8 and 9. Most of them were neutralised; nevertheless, there is an impression that Pakistan has a larger fleet of drones than we have. We need to expand and develop this weapon system in an effective way.\ Seven: The Government of India should press the accelerator on expanding and upgrading the Indian Air Force. The IAF has today only 31 squadrons against a sanction of 42. Besides, the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project for a fifth-generation fighter has been greatly delayed. China, on the other hand, is experimenting with sixth-generation J-20 fighters. Eight: Considering that Operation Sindoor has only been paused and the fact that some of the most notorious terrorist leaders are still hiding in Pakistan, they should be given the treatment they deserve. Nine: We would do well to remember Sun Tzu's profound observation: 'The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.' We have already taken the first step in that direction by keeping the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. Similar other measures could also be thought of. This is, however, not to say that our defence preparations should not continue to be steadily upgraded. The writer is a former Director General of the Border Security Force
Hindustan Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Pak-based groups linked to terror attacks: India at UN meeting
India raised the links of proscribed Pakistan-based terror groups Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and their proxies to terror attacks ranging from the 2008 Mumbai attacks to the Pahalgam massacre at a United Nations meeting in Vienna and called for the early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism. While delivering India's statement at the session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCPCJ), Niraj Kumar Bansod, a joint secretary of the Union home ministry, emphasised that terrorism is an existential danger to global peace and security. Raising the role of Pakistan-based terror groups, he said: 'UN-proscribed terrorist groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammad and their proxies have orchestrated attacks on Indian soil, leading to tragic loss of innocent lives.' 'Incidents such as the 2008 Mumbai attacks, the attacks in Uri and Pathankot in 2016, the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing, and most recently, the heinous terror attack in Pahalgam where 26 tourists were shot dead, remain deeply etched in our national consciousness,' he said. India reiterated its resolve to eliminate all forms of terrorism and said it has been at the forefront of global efforts to combat the menace. 'We are signatory to 13 sectoral conventions on terrorism adopted by the United Nations, and we strongly advocate for the early adoption of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism,' Bansod said. New Delhi first proposed the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the UN General Assembly in 1996, when it was dealing with Pakistan-backed terror in Jammu and Kashmir, and negotiations on the proposed treaty have been held up primarily because UN member states have not been able to agree on the definition of terrorism. The four-day meeting of the CCPCJ from May 19 was attended by more than 1,300 participants representing 134 member states, 64 non-governmental organisations, 15 intergovernmental organisations and 15 UN entities such as Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and Interpol. The Indian side has stepped up efforts to expose Pakistan's continuing support for terrorism targeting India at such global meetings and mechanisms in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terrorist attack of April 22. India's statement at the CCPCJ meeting said all forms of terrorism, 'irrespective of the motives behind terrorist act, can never be justified, and the perpetrators and supporters of such acts should be brought to justice'. This was in line with a statement issued by the UN Security Council calling for the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack to be held accountable. Bansod also said that India has been an 'active participant in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and other international platforms dedicated to countering the financing of terrorism'. The statement further highlighted that India has continuously strengthened its legal and enforcement mechanisms to counter the challenges posed by terrorism, illicit drug trafficking, cybercrime, corruption, and other transnational criminal activities. 'These issues are no longer confined by borders; they demand unified and decisive international cooperation,' Bansod said. Currently, seven teams of political leaders, parliamentarians and former diplomats are travelling across the world to inform key interlocutors of India's new approach to combating cross-border terrorism following the Pahalgam terror attack. India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terrorist infrastructure on Pakistani soil. This triggered four days of intense clashes that ended when India and Pakistan reached an understanding on stopping military actions on May 10. Indian officials have also hinted that New Delhi will push for placing Pakistan in the 'grey list' of the FATF at the financial watchdog's plenary meet in June by furnishing evidence that Islamabad failed to enforce anti-money laundering and counter-terror reforms and made no headway in prosecuting UN-designated terrorists. At the meeting in Vienna, India also pointed to the growing threat posed by cybercrime and said the government has adopted an integrated approach to this evolving challenge. 'We have established a robust legal and institutional framework to prosecute cyber offences effectively. The creation of the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) has enabled seamless information sharing among law enforcement agencies and relevant stakeholders,' Bansod said.
