PTI, MADHUBANI, APRIL 24, 2025 : — Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday declared that the killers of Pahalgam will be pursued “to the ends of the earth” and promised to “identify, track, and punish every terrorist and their backers.”
In his first speech after the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed, the Prime Minister vowed to punish the terrorists behind the strike and said India’s spirit will never be broken by terrorism.
Modi spoke briefly in English and said: “Friends, today from the soil of Bihar, I say to the whole world India will identify, track, and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth. India’s spirit will never be broken by terrorism. Terrorism will not go unpunished.”
In the stern message, the Prime Minister said: “Every effort will be made to ensure that justice is done. The entire nation is firm in this resolve. Everyone who believes in humanity is with us. I thank the people of various countries and their leaders who have stood with us in these times.”
In a message to Pakistan, without naming the country, Modi said he will state it categorically that the terrorists who carried out the attack and those who hatched the conspiracy, they will be punished beyond their imagination. “Punishment will definitely be served.” Modi said the willpower of 140 crore Indians will break the back of patrons of terrorism.
Paying condolences to the victims and their families, he said citizens across the country are in mourning over the brutal manner in which terrorists killed 26 innocent civilians in Kashmir on April 22. “The nation stands with their families,” he said.
Modi, other leaders on the dais, and the crowd observed silence to pay homage to the victims of the attack at the beginning of the Prime Minister’s speech. He said people lost their sons, brothers, and husbands and noted that the victims belonged to different parts of India — be it Bengal, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Odisha, or Bihar. “Our sorrow and anger are the same from Kargil to Kanniyakumari,” he said.
“Peace and security are the most necessary conditions for fast development,” the Prime Minister added. PTI, CHANDIGARH, APRIL 24, 2025 : Several Pakistani nationals visiting India started returning home through the Attari-Wagah land route in Amritsar on Thursday, a day after the Centre set a 48-hour deadline for them to leave the country.
The Centre on Wednesday announced a raft of measures, including expulsion of Pakistani military attaches, suspension of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960, and immediate shutting down of the Attari land-transit post in view of the cross-border links to the horrific terror attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 civilians on Tuesday. According to foreign secretary Vikram Misri, Pakistani nationals will not be permitted to travel to India under the SAARC visa exemption scheme (SVES), and any Pakistani national currently in India under the SVES visa scheme had 48 hours to leave the country.
The decisions were taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which announced that the integrated check-post (ICP) at Attari will be closed with immediate effect, and those who have crossed over to Pakistan with valid documents may return through that route before May 1. On Thursday morning, several Pakistani families reached the ICP in Amritsar to return to the neighbouring country through the Attari-Wagah land route. A family from Karachi said they went to Delhi to meet their relatives.
“We came here (India) on April 15, and today we are returning home though we had a visa for 45 days,” one of the family members said. Responding to a query on the Pahalgam attack, the Pakistani national said: “Whosoever has done it is completely wrong. We want mutual brotherhood and friendship between the two nations.” Another Pakistani national named Mansoor said he, along with his family, came to India on a 90-day visa on April 15.
