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The terror strike in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which has claimed at least 26 lives, has left the nation in shock and sorrow. As high-level security meetings are underway and national leaders rush back to take charge, defense experts are calling for a robust and deliberate response to what they see as a planned attempt to destabilize India. Major General (Retd.) JK Bansal, speaking with NewsX, offered a scathing assessment of the situation and the forces behind it.
“Pakistan Is Directly Involved”—A Clear Accusation
Maj. Gen. Bansal didn’t hesitate to name Pakistan as the driving force behind the Pahalgam attack, linking it to recent provocative statements by Pakistan’s military leadership.
“Few days back Pakistani chief AID Muni, he has given a statement, a very exploding kind of statement. He has given that Kashmir is our jugular vein and we will support our brothers over there.”
Bansal interpreted this as a clear intent to incite terror activities in India, adding that the group involved in the attack—TRF—is an offshoot of the Lashkar-e-Taiba, a known Pakistan-backed terror outfit. “All the terrorists which are coming, they are from Pakistan… TRF is the offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba. Moreover, the Pakistani total involvement of the ISI and their army is there.”
Firing Across the Border Signals Broader Conspiracy
In his comments, Bansal noted that the attack was not isolated but part of a larger, ongoing strategy. He mentioned continued firing in regions like Baramulla and Poonch, where Indian forces have been actively retaliating.
“Now also there is the firing on in Baramula and Punch sector where of course our army also retaliated against it. So they are having a very big conspiracy.”
This pattern of coordinated attacks, he suggested, is a part of a much wider plan, demanding an equally broad and serious response from the Indian side.
High-Level Security Mobilization Already Underway
Bansal highlighted the swift reaction by the Indian government, including high-level security reviews and increased troop presence. “There is a lot in Delhi and a lot of force mobilization is there. Government and Kashmir—our home minister is there. He will be going to Pahalgam today. 11:00 is the meeting of Cabinet Committee on Security which the prime minister will take.”
While some ministers may not be able to attend in person, the urgency and gravity of the situation are clear, with national leaders putting other engagements aside to prioritize the crisis.
“Terrorism Must Be Punished Like in 2019”
Drawing a parallel to the 2019 Balakot airstrikes—India’s bold military response to the Pulwama terror attack—Bansal urged for similar strong action now.
“Some concrete action has to be taken… launching pad is to be destroyed completely as it happened in 2019 and after that they did not dare to come.”
He warned that unless Pakistan is met with decisive consequences, such attacks would only continue.
Target Was Kashmir’s Economy, Not Just Lives
The attack, according to Bansal, was not only aimed at civilians but also at sabotaging the economic progress in Kashmir, especially the flourishing tourism sector.
“They have done this just to paralyze the economy of Jammu and Kashmir. The Kashmir Valley was flourishing. The tourists were coming. There were 43,000 tourists who had come from abroad and around more than 20 lakh people from India itself.”
He described this strike as a strategic blow to peace and progress in the Valley, designed to discourage tourism and spread fear.
Failure of Intelligence, Sleeper Cells to Blame
In a sobering assessment, Bansal acknowledged a lapse in intelligence that allowed such an attack to occur in a remote area where vehicle access is difficult.
“I feel there had been some failure of intelligence because you know these sleeper cells and the local people are there. That is how they can reach in such a place where the vehicle is not going and it was weekdays.”
This, he argued, points to an urgent need to reassess and bolster local intelligence networks in sensitive regions.
“Concrete Action Is the Need of the Hour”
Maj. Gen. Bansal’s overall message was one of urgency and clarity. The government, he said, must treat this as an act of war and respond in kind—not just through statements, but through well-planned and effective countermeasures.
“Some concrete action is to be taken and very, very thought… it has to be planned in a very meticulous manner so that a lesson needs to be taught to the terrorists.”
