Pahalgam terror attack: Declare Pakistan 'terrorist organisation', Sibal urges Centre

New Delhi: Asserting that Pakistan was behind the Pahalgam terror attack, Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Wednesday urged the government to declare Pakistan a "terrorist organisation" and file prosecution against that country in the International Criminal Court to give a message to the world that this is unacceptable.

The terror attack at a prime tourist location in Pahalgam in south Kashmir on Tuesday left at least 26 people dead and several others injured.

Sibal cited Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir's remarks describing Kashmir as Pakistan's "jugular vein" to assert that it is clear that Pakistan is behind it.

"It's a very well-thought-out, well-planned terrorist attack because the Baisaran (meadow) valley is just half an hour away from Pahalgam, which is a high-security zone...those who attacked knew you can't reach the Baisaran valley from Pahalgam except on ponies and it will take time to reach there," the Independent Rajya Sabha MP told PTI Videos.

This attack is claimed by the Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror group, and LeT is in Pakistan, he said.

"I would urge our home minister (Amit Shah) to include Pakistan as a terrorist organisation under the terror act. Just as other heads of state are being prosecuted in the international court, we should also file prosecution in the international criminal court that will give a message to the rest of the world as well as to the 1.4 billion people in India that we are not going to accept all this and urge the international community as well as America to boycott Pakistan," Sibal said.

"This (Pakistan) is a failed state. It has become a terrorist state if you sponsor terrorism in this fashion," he said.

Sibal said the intent of the terrorists was to instil fear in the minds of the people so that tourists don't go to Jammu and Kashmir.

"It is so well planned, when they reached there, they segregated the men from the families....They knew that this was a place where non-Kashmiris go, non-locals are there, innocent people are there. With the statement of the Pakistan general, it is clear that Pakistan is behind it, and this should not be accepted," the former Union minister said.

"The entire country stands by the government, and I am glad the PM cut short his visit, and the home minister is on the spot to take this forward," Sibal said.