India Promises to Track Down Kashmir Attackers “To the Ends of the Earth”: PM Modi

New Delhi, 24  April 2025: Reacting fiercely to the terrorist strike on the tourists in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam area last week, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday pledged to identify, track down, and punish the assailants and their sponsors “to the ends of the earth.” The attack, in which 26 civilians were killed, has fueled tensions between India and Pakistan, with Indian officials confirming the presence of Pakistani nationals.

Speaking at a public rally in Bihar, Modi honored the victims by folding his hands and requesting the audience to share with him a moment of silence in memory. “India will not forget. We will find all the terrorists and those who provide a place of refuge to them, wherever they are,” Modi stated decisively, assuring the people that the government would act firmly.

Indian police announced the names of three suspected militants who are believed to have been responsible for the attack and declared cash rewards for tips leading to their arrest. Two of the attackers have been identified as Pakistani nationals, indicating cross-border planning and infiltration, Kashmir police officials said.

In a dramatic diplomatic gesture late Wednesday, India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT)—a historic water-sharing treaty negotiated in 1960 by the World Bank—and shut down the Attari-Wagah border, the sole land crossing between the two nations. The treaty had survived several wars and skirmishes but has now become a victim of escalating hostilities.

Responding to the suspension of the treaty, Pakistan Power Minister Awais Leghari denounced the move as “an act of water warfare” and called it “cowardly and illegal.” Indian media and authorities have blamed Pakistan for escalating the situation, even though Islamabad has not commented officially on the allegations of Pakistani hand in the Pahalgam attack yet.

At the same time, protests broke out in New Delhi, where protesters marched outside the Pakistan High Commission, shouting anti-terror slogans and calling for justice for the victims. Indian political parties, both left and right, have overwhelmingly supported the government’s hard line.

Security has been increased in Jammu and Kashmir, with increased patrolling in tourist regions and border areas. The Ministry of Home Affairs has requested a detailed review of intelligence and cautioned about the possibility of sleeper cells in cities.

As the region grapples with the latest surge in violence, Modi’s strong words signal a potential shift towards a zero-tolerance policy against terror emanating from across the border—raising the stakes in South Asia’s already volatile security landscape.