New Delhi: Foreign ministers of the Quad (Australia, Japan, India and the US) Tuesday condemned in the “strongest terms” the terrorist attack in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pahalgam this April, which left 26 people dead, while also calling for all UN member-states to “cooperate actively” in bringing the perpetrators to justice.
“The Quad unequivocally condemns all acts of terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism, and renews our commitment to counterterrorism cooperation. We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir on April 22, 2025, which claimed the lives of 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen, while injuring several others,” stated a joint statement issued at the foreign ministers’ meeting in Washington.
“We call for the perpetrators, organisers, and financiers of this reprehensible act to be brought to justice without any delay and urge all UN Member States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant UNSCRs, to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities in this regard,” it added.
India has said the attack emanated from Pakistan—a view that gains support from the call of the Quad foreign ministers to all UN members to “cooperate actively” to bring the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack to justice.
The attack led to India launching Operation Sindoor in retaliation, on 7 May, in which airstrikes were conducted at nine terrorist complexes within Pakistan, including Bahawalpur, the headquarters of the Jaish-e-Mohammad, and Muridke, headquarters of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Both are UN-designated terrorist organisations.
Pakistan subsequently launched targeted strikes at India, leading to escalation of hostilities between the two South Asian nations. On 10 May, however, a ceasefire was agreed upon.
Tuesday was the first meeting of the Quad foreign ministers since the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, and the second this year, following one in January.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar is in Washington for a three-day visit.
“A word about terrorism in the light of our recent experience—the world must display zero tolerance. Victims and perpetrators must never be equated. And India has every right to defend its people against terrorism, and we will exercise that right. We expect our Quad partners to understand and appreciate that,” Jaishankar said in remarks to the media before the foreign ministers’ meeting.
He also inaugurated an exhibition titled ‘The Human Cost of Terrorism’ at the UN headquarters Monday, as part of New Delhi’s strategy to increase global pressure on the issue of terrorism.
The message to Pakistan and members of the UN to bring those behind the Pahalgam attack to justice comes at a time when Islamabad has assumed the presidency of the UN Security Council for the month of July.
Islamabad has announced two “signature events” during its tenure, including one titled ‘Promoting International Peace and Security through Multilateralism and the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes’, where the issue of Jammu & Kashmir is likely to be raised.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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