Sources indicate that the BJP-led Union Government faces a tough decision regarding the project’s future as the party is keen to strengthen its presence in Punjab, where Sikh support is crucial

Ravi Dhaliwal Tribune News Service

The Kartarpur corridor project’s future hangs in the balance amid escalating India-Pakistan tensions following the Pahalgam terror ambush. Despite the uncertainty, the corridor remained open today, with pilgrims visiting as usual. However, the Indian government has yet to clarify whether the project will continue or be suspended.

Sources indicate that the BJP-led Union Government faces a tough decision regarding the project’s future. The party is keen to strengthen its presence in Punjab, where Sikh support is crucial. Given the Kartarpur corridor’s significance to Sikhs and Sikhism, altering its status could impact the party’s relationship with the Sikh community.

Meanwhile, Pakistan stands to lose substantial revenue if the corridor is closed. The country charges a USD 20 fee per pilgrim at Pakistani Integrated Check Post (ICP), generating significant income from the 200-400 daily visitors, particularly on weekends. Despite India’s repeated requests to waive this fee, Pakistan remains resolute.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation at Kulnar Bazipora in Bandipora district following information about presence of terrorists in the area

An overground worker of terrorists was killed while two security force personnel were injured in an encounter in the Bandipora district of Jammu and Kashmir on Friday, officials said here.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation at Kulnar Bazipora in Bandipora district following information about presence of terrorists in the area, the officials said.

They said the search operation turned into an encounter after the hiding terrorists opened fire on the security forces’ positions.

One terrorist associate and two policemen were injured in the firing by terrorists, the officials said, adding the injured terrorist associate later succumbed to injuries.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has asked Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi not only to bring those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack to justice but also to intensify efforts to crush infrastructure of terrorism and its ecosystem

Tribune News Service

The meeting was attended by Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, GOC-in-C Northern Command Lt Gen MV Suchindra Kumar, Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Pratik Sharma and GoC 15 Corps Lt Gen Prashant Srivastava.

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has asked Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, who called on him here today to take effective steps, not only to bring those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack to justice but also to intensify efforts to crush infrastructure of terrorism and its ecosystem.

During the discussion, the L-G said the nation has full faith in the bravery and valour of our Army, police and CAPFs, and they must work in close synergy to identify perpetrators, enablers and overground workers (OWGs) of Pahalgam terrorist killing and pursue the entire chain in a sustained manner and neutralise them.

“Every perpetrator and supporter of Pahalgam terror attack, whatever his location or affiliation, must be hunted and they must pay the heavy price for the cowardly and dastardly act against our citizens,” the L-G told the top army officials.

The meeting also reviewed security mechanisms in place, various short-term, long-term measures and integration and coordination among the various security agencies. The meeting was attended by Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, GOC-in-C Northern Command Lt Gen MV Suchindra Kumar, Deputy Chief of Army Staff Lt Gen Pratik Sharma and GoC 15 Corps Lt Gen Prashant Srivastava.

The firing by Pakistan Army comes amid rising tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack

Arjun Sharma

Amid heightened tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan on Friday morning violated ceasefire at multiple locations along Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir.  

Sources said Pakistan used small arms to target Indian posts on this side of the border. As per initial information, ceasefire violations took place in the Leepa valley in Kashmir among some other areas. 

Sources in intelligence informed, “There were incidents of small arm firing at some places on Line of Control initiated by Pakistan. The violations were effectively responded to and there were no reports of any casualties on our side”.

The firing by Pakistan Army comes amid rising tensions between the two sides following the dastardly attack at the tourist resort of Pahalgam in Kashmir, where 26 civilians were killed by terrorists.

25 tourists massacred in Pahalgam

India has limited options to retaliate against terror attack: Lt Gen Hooda

Love Story Cut Short… A Nation Mourns

Pahalgam attack: Image of newlywed woman beside husband’s body to haunt Pakistan, says Lt Gen KJS Dhillon

Why Pak terror group killed 26 civilians in worst Kashmir terror attack & what next : Gen Hooda (R)

Views of Veteran Generals :

Pahalgam terror attack: Sketches of 3 terrorists released by agencies

Ponywala dies a hero, tried to grab rifle from attacker before being shot

Attari border closed, Indus Water Treaty suspended; India responds to Pak after Pahalgam terror attack

My daughter saw her husband being shot dead”: Mother-in-law of Pahalgam victim

India mourns as a fun trip turns into tragedy at the speed of a bullet

Tourist Massacre in Pahalgam: 26 Dead in Deadliest Attack Since Pulwama

Local shot too in Baisaran meadow attack | Haryana Navy officer, 2 foreigners among victims | Deadliest strike since Pulwama

Adil Akhzer Our Correspondent

25 tourists massacred in Pahalgam

Local shot too in Baisaran meadow attack | Haryana Navy officer, 2 foreigners among victims | Deadliest strike since Pulwama

In the deadliest terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama strike, 25 tourists, including two foreigners, and a local were killed and several injured after being fired upon by terrorists in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam on Tuesday afternoon. A Navy officer from Haryana, Lieutenant Vinay Narwal (26), who got married on April 16 and was on leave, was among the victims.

In an image that has gone viral on the social media, a newly wed woman is seen awaiting help by her husband’s side after the shooting. Photo courtesy: X

The attack took place at Baisaran, a famed meadow about 6 km from the resort town of Pahalgam that is accessible only by foot or ponies, said officials, calling the killings “a massacre”. Police officials said the victims were shot from close range.

The attack is said to have been masterminded by The Resistance Front, a proxy for the Pakistani terror group Lashkar-e-Toiba, which was also responsible for the Pulwama strike. An official said the tourists belonged to different states, including Karnataka, Maharashtra, UP and Gujarat. He said the foreigners were from Nepal and the UAE.

Eyewitnesses said terrorists came into the grassland and started firing at tourists walking around eateries, taking pony rides or just picnicking. A person associated with the tourism industry, who reached the spot after the killings, told The Tribune over the phone that he “found bodies lying at multiple places”. “The tourists told us there were three-four terrorists,” he said. As gunshots rang out, there was panic and tourists ran for cover but there was no place to hide in the wide and open space, said a woman tourist. She said terrorists first asked the name before shooting down the victims. In one of the videos that went viral on social media, a woman could be heard wailing and pleading for help. “A man came and shot my husband on the head… Please ask for help,” she said.

CM Omar Abdullah described the attack as “much larger than anything seen directed at civilians in recent years”. Top police and civil administration officials were rushed from Srinagar to Pahalgam. A massive anti-terror operation had been launched to hunt down the attackers, said a security official. This is the first major attack on tourists in the Valley, though individual killings have been reported in the past.

The attack came days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a security review meeting in Srinagar and at a time when the UT administration is gearing up for the Amarnath Yatra, which is scheduled to start in July.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha condemned the “cowardly attack” and assured people “that those responsible would not go unpunished”.

“Spoke to the DGP and security officials. Army and J&K Police teams have rushed to the area and launched search operations. Directed the district administration and health officials to provide immediate care to those admitted to Pahalgam hospital,” said Sinha.

The Chief Minister said he was “shocked beyond belief”. “This attack on our visitors is an abomination. The perpetrators of this attack are animals, inhuman and worthy of contempt. No words of condemnation are enough. I send my sympathies to the families of the deceased,” he said.

In a statement, the Army said, “In a cowardly and heart-wrenching act of violence, terrorists opened fire on tourists and locals…. A joint anti-terror operation has been launched in Baisaran, Pahalgam and Anantnag.” The Army also said candle march was organised by the residents in Sopore, Ganderbal, Handwara, Bandipora and other parts of Kashmir to condemn the killings.

Northern Command chief describes the Pahalgam terror attack as an act of desperation

In the aftermath of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam on Tuesday that left 26 tourists dead, former General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Northern Command, Lieutenant General DS Hooda said India has limited options available to retaliate against Pakistan, with military force emerging as the only viable route.

“Unfortunately, the way relations have gone with Pakistan, the only option left is the use of military force against each other,” he told The Tribune in response to the incident.

Pointing out that diplomacy is non-functional, he said there is no economic pressure that can be brought on Pakistan, US pressure on Pakistan has not really succeeded in the past, and China is too strongly in the Pakistani camp. That leaves only a hard, kinetic military option, he said.

“How to execute this option or whether to execute this option is something for the government to decide,” Lt Gen Hooda, who was the architect of the 2016 surgical strikes on terrorist camps across the Line of Control (LoC), said, while remaking that the manner in which Hindus were segregated and killed would put enormous pressure on the government to act.

The surgical strikes were in response to a terrorist attack on an Army camp in Uri, which claimed the lives of 18 soldiers. Similarly, in February 2019, after a suicide car bombing killed 40 CRPF personnel in Pulwama, India had carried out airstrikes on terrorist camps in Balakot in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir.

Commenting on the timing of the latest attack, which occurred during PM Modi’s visit to Saudi Arabia and US Vice-President JD Vance’s trip to India, Hooda added it was a deliberate move to send out signals internationally that the Kashmir issue is still unsettled.

“The government has been saying that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir has improved and tourist inflow has increased. This attack conveys a message that the narrative is not correct,” he said.

On the role of the Pakistani Army in terror attacks, Hooda said that there is enormous pressure on them over the problems they are facing like unrest in Balochistan, and it is “their way of remaining relevant.”

Referring to recent statements by Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir on India-Pakistan relations, he said the Pakistan Army is under so much pressure that they are trying to show that they are still the ideological custodians.

Hooda also described the Pahalgam attack as an act of desperation.

“Unable to target security forces, terrorists are resorting to attacking civilians, who are soft and vulnerable targets. The kind of shock they send across the country and impact tourism is going to be enormous,” he said.

“Terrorism is a theatre. You are targeting not the people you kill, but the larger population. Social media narratives will incite the people in the country and try to create Hindu-Muslim divide and that’s the intent of these terrorists. I hope people do not fall prey to such attempts,” Lt Gen Hooda added.

Just six days ago, he was a groom — eyes filled with dreams, heart full of hope, holding the hand of his beloved as they promised forever.

Today, we grieve the loss of Navy officer Vinay Narwal, only 26, whose life was cruelly snatched away in the Pahalgam t*rror att@ck. A braveheart who chose duty above all, but destiny had other plans. The wedding flowers have barely wilted… the memories of the ceremony still fresh… and yet, his young bride now wears the silence of heartbreak, her dreams shattered before they even began.

The weight of this loss is unbearable. A son, a husband, a patriot — gone too soon.

How many more young lives must we lose to this endless cycle of violence?

India salutes you, Vinay. Your sacrifice will never be forgotten.

May your soul rest in peace. Strength and prayers for the family left behind, battling a grief no words can ever soothe.

Lt Gen Dhillon said that India would respond with a calculated approach, choosing the time and place for its actions rather than reacting impulsively

Jupinderjit Singh Tribune News Service

The recent terror attack in Pahalgam’s Baisaran Valley was executed with military-grade precision, says Lt Gen KJS Dhillon (Retd), an expert on Kashmir and military strategy. A former commander of the Srinagar-based 15 Corps, who led the operation against terrorists involved in the Pulwama attack in February 2019 and has years of experience in handling terrorism in Kashmir, said in an interview with The Tribune that the broader implications of the attack were an assault on Kashmir’s peace and livelihood.

“The local population is now a stakeholder in peace,” Dhillon said. “The locals do not want to go back to those dark days. This action by Pakistani terrorists is not against tourists; it is against the livelihood of local Kashmiris.”

He described the attack as a cowardly act, saying, “When you kill innocent, unarmed civilians who cannot retaliate against you, and you segregate people on the basis of religion and kill them in cold blood in front of their wives, brothers, daughters, or sisters, I think nothing can be more heinous than this.”

Dhillon emphasised that the killings would not be forgotten and there would be a response. “This particular incident will go down in history as one of the biggest crimes against humanity,” he warned. “The picture of a newlywed girl sitting haplessly next to her dead husband will haunt Pakistan for decades to come.”

He reasoned, “There is no jihad in this, no liberation war. You are not attacking security forces or the establishment; you are attacking innocent civilians.”

He noted that the terrorists likely trekked to the target area and completed their attack within 15-20 minutes, knowing that security forces would be unable to respond in time. This, he pointed out, reflects the distrust Pakistani agencies have in local Kashmiris, relying instead on Pakistani operatives for such actions.

Lt Gen Dhillon said that India would respond with a calculated approach, choosing the time and place for its actions rather than reacting impulsively. “For the response, we have to go at the time and place of our own choosing, and we have to keep Pakistan guessing as to where the response is,” he said. He emphasised that militaries and nations never respond in anger, but rather with resoluteness and confidence in their abilities.

“Nations and militaries act with a feeling of resoluteness, with full confidence in their abilities,” he said. “They will strike at the place and time of their choosing.” He cautioned that India’s planning should be robust enough to respond to a potential second strike, and that the second strike should be significantly stronger than the first to deter any further action.

#TheTribuneInterview #KashmirAttack #GeneralHooda In this edition of #TheTribuneInterview, The Tribune’s editor-in-chief Jyoti Malhotra spoke to the former Northern Army commander, Gen DS Hooda, and asked him why the Pakistan terror group, The Resistance Front, a proxy of the Lashkar-e-Toiba, attacked…

The Tribune’s editor-in-chief Jyoti Malhotra spoke to the former Northern Army commander, Gen DS Hooda, and asked him why the Pakistan terror group, The Resistance Front, a proxy of the Lashkar-e-Toiba, attacked and killed 26 innocent civilians in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir and what the Modi government could do next Watch