Op Sindoor ‘paused, not over’; Indian Envoy demands Pak hand over Hafiz Saeed and 26/11 plotters

India’s Ambassador to Israel, JP Singh, has stated that Operation Sindoor, India’s military offensive targeting terrorist groups in Pakistan, is currently “paused” but not over. Speaking to Israeli broadcaster i24 News, Singh emphasized that India has adopted an offensive strategy against terrorism, asserting that wherever terrorists are located, India will act to eliminate them and dismantle their infrastructure. He confirmed that although a ceasefire is holding, India’s fight against terrorism will continue.

Singh cited the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam, where 26 civilians were killed after being asked their religion, as the trigger for India’s response. He noted that the operation initially targeted terror groups and infrastructure in Pakistan. According to Singh, Pakistan retaliated by attacking Indian military installations, escalating the conflict. He described India’s strike on Pakistan’s Nur Khan airbase on May 10 as a “game changer” that led Pakistan’s Director General of Military Operations to request a ceasefire.

Regarding the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), Singh explained that India put the treaty in abeyance because Pakistan failed to uphold the treaty’s principles of goodwill and friendship. He stated, “We allowed water to flow; they let terror flow across the border.” The Indian envoy referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement that “blood and water cannot flow together” as justification for suspending the treaty amid ongoing cross-border terrorism.

Singh dismissed Pakistan’s offer to investigate the Pahalgam attack, citing past failures to act on evidence related to terror attacks such as Mumbai, Pathankot, and Pulwama. He highlighted that Lashkar-e-Taiba leaders Hafiz Saeed, Sajid Mir, and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, linked to the 2008 Mumbai attacks, remain free in Pakistan. Singh called on Islamabad to hand over these terrorists, referencing the recent extradition of 26/11 conspirator Tahawwur Hussain Rana by the United States as precedent.

In conclusion, Singh called for an international coalition against terrorism, including India, Israel, and other affected countries. He emphasized the need to combat terrorism and its supporters through expanded diplomatic cooperation. Singh reiterated India’s zero-tolerance policy towards cross-border terrorism and reaffirmed that Operation Sindoor will continue until the threat is eliminated.