Pahalgam attack: China backs Pakistan, calls for ‘impartial’ probe

Union minister Piyush Goyal said on Friday that as long as all 140 crore Indians do not consider patriotism and nationalism as their “param dharma”, Pahalgam-type incidents will continue to plague the nation.

"These incidents represent the desperate last efforts of those powers. It is an unbearable attack, but we will not spare anyone," the Union commerce minister said.

"As long as all 140 crore Indians do not consider patriotism and nationalism as their param dharma, such types of incidents will continue to trouble our country. However, India has enough strength to give a befitting response," he added.

Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta on Saturday refused to wear a garland during a public event in honour of the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.

In a post on X, she said, “I am deeply saddened by the cowardly terrorist attack in Pahalgam. This tragic incident has shaken me to the core. At such times, I do not feel like wearing a garland in any function. Therefore, I skipped the formality of inauguration and started development work directly.”

She added, “Delhi's development will not stop. Public service and the progress of the state will be our true tribute to those martyrs. We stand firmly against terrorism and will continue to move forward towards building a safe and prosperous future for our people.”

Jammu and Kashmir minister Sakina Itoo on Saturday met Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and sought urgent steps for ensuring the security of residents from her state.

“J&K Cabinet Minister @sakinaitoo met Governor of Punjab and Administrator of UT of Chandigarh, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria (@Gulab_kataria) to discuss the issues of J&K students, business community and other individuals in the aftermath of Pahalgam attack,” posted the Information department of the J&K government on X.

They added, “@DGPPunjabPolice and @DgpChdPolice were also present on the occasion. The Minister asked both the DGPs to take immediate steps for instilling a sense of security among the students and J&K residents currently staying in Punjab and Chandigarh.”

Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday said that the central government should take "concrete" steps to respond to Pakistan and hoped there would be no security lapses in the future.

He said, "The whole country stands with the families of the tourists who have been killed. No one can reduce their grief and pain. We all condemn such incidents, and when the all-party meeting was held, all the parties came together and stood with the government against this terrorist incident carried out by terrorists."

He added, "The Samajwadi Party also believes that whatever concrete steps the government wants to take, it should take them in response to Pakistan. We hope that the government will take concrete steps. We hope that there will be no security failures in the future. The country does not want such an incident to repeat itself."

The Samajwadi party chief also stated that no political gains should be made on the back of the tragedy.

Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Asif, in an interview with Sky News, on Saturday, warned that any attack by India could trigger an "all-out war" between the two nations.

Asif stated, as quoted by ANI, “If there is an all-out attack or something like that, then obviously there will be an all-out war.”

A three-member NIA team on Saturday recorded the statement of Priya Darshani Achariya, the wife of CIPET employee Prashant Satpathy, one of the 26 people killed in the Pahalgam terror attack.

Achariya’s statement is "crucial" for the probe as she and her 9-year-old son Tanuj were eyewitnesses to the killings of innocent people on Tuesday, an official told PTI.

J P Nadda on Saturday said that India will give a "befitting" reply to those responsible for the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians lost their lives.

The Union minister said, “I came here to seek blessings of Ganpati Bappa. The way a cowardly attack took place in Jammu & Kashmir, the entire country is angry, and they are hoping that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will give a strong reply to this attack.”

"I am sure that with the blessings of Ganeshji, his wisdom and power, the country will pass this difficult time, and under PM Modi's leadership, a befitting reply will be given to those responsible," he added.

A resident of Karmarha village in Jammu and Kashmir told ANI, “The government has given us bunkers. Earlier, during firing, we used to live here in the bunkers. We are saddened by the incident in Pahalgam. We are with our Army and our administration.”

He added, "This is a border region, so earlier, there used to be firing incidents in this region. We have cleaned our bunkers and can move here in any unfavourable situation."

Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis met the family of Kaustubh Ganbote, who was killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, in Pune on Saturday afternoon.

The CM is also scheduled to visit the house of another victim, Jagdale to offer condolences to his family.

A proposal was made at a high-level meeting on Friday chaired by Union home minister Amit Shah that called for a study on how to maximise the use of the water that comes from three rivers which were previously shared with Pakistan under the Indus Waters Treaty.

The treaty was suspended recently after a terror attack in Pahalgam killed 26 civilians.

Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, in a post on X, stated that signing the Indus Waters Treaty had been a grave mistake on Jawaharlal Nehru's part.

"Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's signing of the Indus Waters Treaty in 1960 stands as one of the greatest strategic blunders in India's history," Sarma said in a post on X.

"Despite India's natural upper riparian advantage, Nehru, under immense pressure from the then American administration and the World Bank, handed away over 80 per cent of the Indus basin waters to Pakistan, gifting full control over the mighty Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers, while restricting India to the smaller eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej)," the Assam CM claimed.

Former Indian cricket teamcaptain Sourav Ganguly said that India should break all cricketing ties with Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack.

Speaking to ANI, Ganguly said, "100 per cent, this (breaking ties with Pakistan) should be done. Strict action is necessary. It is no joke that such things happen every year. Terrorism cannot be tolerated."

Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Saturday responded to Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif's statement that a neutral probe should be conducted on the Pahalgam terror attack.

He said, “First they (Pakistan) did not accept that something happened in Pahalgam. Then they even said it was done by India. They were the ones who first accused us, so it's difficult to say anything about them.”

Pahalgam terror attack live updates: Protests have erupted outside the Pakistan Embassy in Kathmandu on Saturday against the recent terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which left 25 Indian citizens and one Nepali national dead.

Members of the Indian community and diaspora had earlier staged a similar protest outside the Pakistan High Commission in London.

The peaceful demonstration had protestors waving Indian flags, banners, and placards, and raising slogans against Pakistan.

The Uttar Pradesh have stated that they are strictly monitoring the deportation of Pakistani nationals in India.

Prayagraj police commissioner Tarun Gaba told ANI that four Pakistani nationals were on short-term visas in the Prayagraj district.

"One Pakistani woman left on Friday, while three Pakistani women will leave on Saturday," he said.

Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was "fooling people" with regard to the Pahalgam terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir, reported PTI.

"The prime minister should have been there during the all-party meeting. He had gone to electioneering in Bihar. So what is important to him? He is putting ‘Topi’ (hat) on people (meaning fooling people)," Siddaramaiah said.

The government of India has asked all media channels to refrain from showing live coverage of defence operations and movement of security forces in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack.

A park and a square in Shyam Nagar, Kanpur will be named after Pahalgam terror attack victim Shubham Dwivedi, the city mayor Pramila Pandey said on Saturday.

"We have decided that Kanpur Municipal Corporation (KMC) will name a park and a square in Shyam Nagar after Shubham Dwivedi, who was shot dead by terrorists in Pahalgam," Pandey said.

In Jharkhand, the Minister of state for Defence, Sanjay Seth, told ANI that revenge would be taken for the pain caused to the victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.

He said, “All the retaliatory actions are justified and we want as much action to be taken, as is possible. Revenge will be taken for every tear that the families of victims have shed.”

He added, “Terrorists will not be spared. The world stands with India and PM Narendra Modi. The world stands against terrorism.”

Union minister J P Nadda, will visit the family members of Santosh Jagdale and Kaustubh Ganbote, who were killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, in Pune on Saturday evening, reported PTI.

Nadda is expected to meet Jagdale's family members at their residence in Karve Nagar area in the city around 6.45 pm, from where he will head to Ganbote's house in Kondhwa area.

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath condemned the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reiterated the government's stance on dealing with security breaches.

He said, “There can be no place for terrorism or anarchy in our society. The Government of India's model of security, service and good governance is based on development. It is based on the welfare of the poor and the security of all. But if anyone dares to breach the security, then under the policy of zero tolerance, New India is ready to give a befitting reply in the language it understands."

Members of the Indian community staged a protest at Federation Square in Melbourne, condemning the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

Protests have also broken out in London and Nepal.

Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said that the state has begun preparations to identify and deport Pakistani nationals, following an advisory from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), PTI reported.

BJP MP Tarun Chugh on Saturday spoke out about India suspending the Indus Waters Treaty as tensions flare with Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack.

He said,"PM Narendra Modi's government has made it clear that the country that sends terrorists will not be spared. Not even a single drop of Indian water will be given to anyone for no reason."

He added, “Treaties matter only where there's trust. It is crucial to teach a lesson to terrorists and their masters. And India will teach them a lesson.”