Pahalgam probe revealed 'communication nodes' of terrorists with Pak masterminds

New DelhiL The Ministry of External Affairs told a parliamentary committee that the initial probe into the Pahalgam terror attack has revealed "communication nodes" of terrorists with their "masterminds in Pakistan".

The attack has "footprints and tracks" similar to previous attacks claimed by The Resistance Front, the ministry said in a presentation, adding the terror organisation is just another name of designated terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

Pakistan's track record as a terror sanctuary is well established, rooted in solid facts and evidence, it said.

The ministry also said Pakistan blames India for the killings of some individuals, labelled as extra-judicial and extra-territorial by the neighbouring country, on its soil even though its allegations are devoid of any facts or evidence.

It is meant to draw a false equivalence between the two countries to suggest that both neighbours are victims of cross-border terrorism which is not the case, it said in the presentation.

UN-designated terrorists roam freely in Pakistan and continue to incite violence against India, the ministry said in its presentation to the Standing Committee on External Affairs headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor.

The Indian armed forces carried out missile strikes early on May 7 at nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK), including the Jaish-e-Mohammad stronghold of Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba's Muridke base.

The strikes were conducted under Operation Sindoor two weeks after the execution-style killing of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam.

Over 100 terrorists, including high-value targets such as Yusuf Azhar, Abdul Malik Rauf and Mudasir Ahmed, were eliminated during Operation Sindoor, according to the Indian military.

India and Pakistan reached an agreement on May 10 to halt military actions after four days of intense cross-border drone and missile strikes.

Following the pause, the Union government formed seven delegations comprising 51 political leaders, parliamentarians and former ministers cutting across party lines who will travel to world capitals to put across India's resolve to tackle terrorism.