The April 22 terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam region, which claimed the lives of 26 Hindu tourists, marks a chilling escalation in the pattern of violence plaguing the Valley. The calculated nature of the assault ~ where militants segregated victims by religion before opening fire ~ has shaken the nation’s conscience. External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar was right to convey to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio that the perpetrators, backers, and planners must be held accountable.

Justice, not vengeance, must guide India’s course ~ but it must be firm and unflinching. India has identified the attackers, including two Pakistani nationals, confirming the cross-border nature of this terror operation. Pakistan, however, has dismissed any link and called for a “neutral investigation.” That call rings hollow when seen in the context of Pakistan’s long history of harbouring and enabling extremist elements. Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz........

© The Statesman