Pahalgam terror attack LIVE | Rahul to meet the injured in Anantnag tomorrow
Pak says attempt to divert water under Indus Waters Treaty will be considered Act of War; announces suspension of trade, bilateral accords, airspaces with India
The Centre convened an all-party meeting on the Pahalgam terror attack on Thursday (April 24) evening, where it briefed the leaders of various political parties on the attack and heard their views.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was in Bihar addressing pre-election rallies, did not attend the meeting. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired the meeting, which was also attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affair Minister S Jaishankar and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
Jaishankar and Shah met President Droupadi Murmu during the day.
Pakistan's counter-measures
Across the border, Pakistan said any move to divert water meant for it under the Indus Water Treaty would be considered an Act of War as it announced the suspension of trade, bilateral accords, including the Simla Agreement, and airspaces with India. These were among other moves in retaliation to New Delhi's measures against the country in the wake of the Pahalgam attack.
The announcements were made after a meeting chaired by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to formulate the country's response to India's move to suspend the Indus Water Treaty and downgrade diplomatic ties after the Pahalgam terror attack.
Modi’s tough talk
In his first statement since the April 22 carnage, Modi, speaking from Bihar, sent a stern warning to the perpetrators of the attack and asserted that India would identify, track and punish every terrorist involved in the incident and their backers “beyond their imagination”.
“This attack was not merely on unarmed tourists; the country’s enemies have dared to attack the soul of Bharat (India),” he said. “Every effort will be made to ensure that justice is served. The entire nation stands firm in this resolve.”
We “will pursue them (Pahalgam attackers) to the end of earth. India’s spirit will never be broken by terrorism,” Modi chose to state in English. Before starting his speech, Modi, along with the public, observed a minute of silence to pay homage to the 26 Pahalgam victims.
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Live Updates
- 24 April 2025 8:44 AM GMT
Arunachal mourns IAF corporal Tage Hailyang killed in Pahalgam attack
Receiving the mortal remains of someone who travelled afar only to return lifeless is an immensely painful experience, said Assam minister Jayanta Malla Baruah as he accepted the body of Indian Air Force Corporal Tage Hailyang in Guwahati in the early hours of Thursday.
Hailyang, a native of Arunachal Pradesh, was among the 26 people killed in the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on Tuesday.
Baruah received the body at the Air Force base in Guwahati around 1 am.
"Receiving the mortal remains of someone who travelled from afar only to return lifeless is an immensely painful experience. Tonight, with a heavy heart received the mortal remains of Corporal Tage Hailyang- brave son of Arunachal, at the Air Force base in Guwahati, who tragically lost his life in the barbaric terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir yesterday," he said in a post on X.
"May terrorism end once and for all! I firmly believe that the Government of India will respond to this heinous act without delay," he added.
- 24 April 2025 8:38 AM GMT
3 Gujarat residents killed in Pahalgam terror attack cremated
Three Gujarat residents, who were among the 26 persons killed in the terror attack in south Kashmir's Pahalgam town, were cremated at their respective native places on Thursday as residents joined their funeral processions amid an outpouring of grief.
The slain tourists from Gujarat were Yatish Parmar and his son Smit from Bhavnagar city and Shailesh Kalathiya, a resident of Surat. Their last rites were held at their respective native places, hours after the mortal remains were brought to the state from Srinagar on Wednesday night.
Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, who reached Bhavnagar on Wednesday night, paid floral tributes to Yatish and Smit Parmar at their residence in the Kaliyabid area before the bodies were taken for cremation on Thursday morning, said an official release.
Patel met Parmar's relatives and expressed grief over the untimely death of the father-son duo. The CM also interacted with Smit Parmar's cousin Sarthak Nathani, who narrated the ordeal and explained how the terror attack took place.
- 24 April 2025 8:28 AM GMT
Congress, CPI(M) defending Pahalgam attack terrorists : Kerala BJP Rajeev Chandrasekhar
Kerala BJP president and former Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Thursday alleged that the Congress and CPI(M) were defending the terrorists who carried out the attack at Kashmir's Pahalgam two days ago, by their alleged criticism of the security arrangements there.
He questioned why Robert Vadra, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly V D Satheesan and CPI(M) general secretary M A Baby were "defending the terrorists from Pakistan".The BJP leader also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have assured that India will respond to the attack. "Let there be no doubt about that," he said.
- 24 April 2025 8:13 AM GMT
Names of Pahalgam attack terrorists released, Rs 20 lakh reward announced
A day after the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam, the Jammu and Kashmir Police on Thursday (April 24) revealed the names of the terrorists involved in the April 22 terrorist attack that left 26 people dead. Police said that the terrorists have been identified as Adil Hussain Thoker (resident of Anantnag), Hashim Musa alias Suleiman, and Ali Bhai alias Talha Bhai. A reward of Rs 20 lakh has been announced for providing information about the terrorists.
- 24 April 2025 8:04 AM GMT
Rahul, Kharge to attend all-party meeting on Pahalgam terror attack
Leaders of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge will attend the all-party meeting convened by the Centre on the Pahalgam terror attack on Thursday evening, Congress sources said. They also said that Congress president Kharge and former party chief Rahul Gandhi earlier attended the meeting of the Congress Working Committee, which condemned the attack that left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead.
The meeting at the party's 24, Akbar Road headquarters was attended by top Congress leaders, including CPP chairperson Sonia Gandhi. Earlier, the Congress demanded that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who would be chairing the all-party meeting, take all political parties into confidence as well as build a collective resolve.
- 24 April 2025 7:54 AM GMT
CWC adopts resoluton on Pahalgam attack: Read the full text here
The Congress Working Committee (CWC) expresses its deepest shock and condemnation of the heinous terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent tourists and left more than 20 others grievously injured. The Congress Working Committee extends its deepest condolences to the bereaved families. It stands with them wholeheartedly in this moment of profound anguish.
This cowardly and calculated act of terror, mastermind by Pakistan, is a direct assault on the values of our Republic. The deliberate targeting of Hindus was done to inflame passions across the country.We appeal for calm in the face of this grave provocation and reaffirm our collective strength in the face of adversity. The CWC appeals for calm and reaffirms the Indian National Congress' longstanding resolve to combat cross-border terrorism with determination and unity.
CWC also pays tribute to the local ponywalas and tourist guides, one of whom was martyred while selflessly trying to protect the tourist to uphold the idea of india.
In order to demonstrate the collective will of the nation, the Indian National Congress had, on the night of the 22nd itself, called for an all-party meeting chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister. This meeting has now been scheduled for today.
Pahalgam is known to be a heavily guarded area, secured by a three-tier security arrangement.It is imperative that a comprehensive analysis is conducted into the intelligence failures and security lapses that enabled such an attack in a Union Territory — an area directly under the purview of the Union Home Ministry. These questions must be raised in the larger public interest. This is the only way justice can truly be seen to be served for the families whose lives have been so brutally devastated.
The CWC also notes that the Amarnath Yatra is set to commence shortly. Lakhs of pilgrims from across India participate in this annual journey, and their safety must be treated as a national priority. Robust, transparent, and proactive security arrangements must be put in place without delay. The safety of pilgrims, as well as the livelihoods of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, many of whom depend on tourism, must be protected with full sincerity and seriousness.
The massacre has rightly drawn condemnation from all political parties in Jammu and Kashmir and from a wide cross-section of its citizens. However, it is shocking that the BJP is exploiting this grave tragedy through official and proxy social media platforms to sow further discord, mistrust, polarisation and division at a time when unity and solidarity is most needed.
