PM Modi Grants ‘Free Hand’ to Army After Pahalgam Attack, Cabinet to Meet Amid Rising Tensions
New Delhi: In the aftermath of the deadly terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam region that claimed 26 lives, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reportedly given a “free hand” to the armed forces to determine their response to terrorism, including the timing, method and targets of any retaliation.
According to media reports, PM Modi held a high-level meeting on Tuesday that lasted over 90 minutes with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, and the chiefs of the Indian Army, Navy and Air Force. “It is a national resolve to give a befitting reply to the Pahalgam attack,” the prime minister is reported to have said during the meeting, expressing full confidence in the military’s capabilities.
The decision comes amid heightened tensions following the April 22 attack in Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, in which 26 tourists were killed. Intelligence agencies have identified the alleged mastermind as Hashim Musa, a former Special Services Group (SSG) commander from Pakistan, now reportedly working with the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Sources in the intelligence community told the media that Musa was also behind the October 2024 attack in Gagangir, Ganderbal, which left several labourers and a local doctor dead. Musa is believed to have been sent by Lashkar to orchestrate attacks targeting security personnel and non-Kashmiri civilians.
In parallel developments, the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which is leading the probe, is said to be recreating the crime scene and searching for local collaborators who may have aided the attackers.
A separate emergency meeting was also convened by the Ministry of Home Affairs on Tuesday. Union Home Minister Amit Shah chaired the session, which was attended by top officials from the National Security Guard (NSG), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
Further action on the diplomatic front included India banning the official X (formerly Twitter) handle of Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif. As per media reports, the move came after a video surfaced in which Asif appeared to admit that Pakistan had long supported terror organisations. The government also blocked 17 Pakistani YouTube channels on Monday for spreading misinformation and inflammatory content.
A special meeting of the Union Cabinet is scheduled for Wednesday at 11am, marking the first such meeting following the Pahalgam attack. Prime Minister Modi will preside over the session, where internal security and cross-border terrorism are expected to dominate discussions.
