India PM vows to pursue Kashmir attackers to ‘ends of the Earth’

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed on Thursday to punish all those responsible for the worst attack on civilians in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK)for a quarter of a century.

India has accused Pakistan of supporting “cross-border terrorism” after the killing of 26 men in the tourist hotpot of Pahalgam on Tuesday, plunging relations between the nuclear-armed neighbours to their lowest level in years.

“I say to the whole world: India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backer,” he said in his first speech since the attack in the Himalayan region. “We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth”.

Modi, who was speaking in Bihar state to launch development projects, first led two minutes of silence in memory of those killed, who were all Indian, except one Nepali.

Pakistan, which denies any role in the Pahalgam attack, held a rare national security meeting on Thursday after New Delhi issued a raft of punitive diplomatic measures.

Pakistan to give befitting response to any Indian misadventure, says Dar

That included suspending a Indus Waters treaty, the closure of the main land border crossing with Pakistan and downgrading diplomatic ties.

But the measures are largely symbolic, and some fear New Delhi’s diplomatic moves may just be an opening salvo – with the potential risk of military action.

‘Break the backbone’

“I say this unequivocally: whoever has carried out this attack, and the ones who devised it, will be made to pay beyond their imagination”, Modi said, speaking in Hindi in front of a large crowd.

Hundreds protest in Pakistan over India’s threats

“They will certainly pay. Whatever little land these terrorists have, it’s time to reduce it to dust. The willpower of 1.4 billion Indians will break the backbone of these terrorists.”

Modi finished his speech with rare comments in English, addressing an audience abroad.

“Terrorism will not go unpunished,” he said. “Every effort will be made to ensure that justice is done.”

Indian security forces have launched a vast manhunt for the attackers, with large numbers of people detained in the operation.

Police have offered a two million rupee ($23,500) bounty for several men, who they say are members of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group.