Quad condemns Pahalgam attack, says perpetrators must be brought to justice

The Quad countries (India, US, Japan, Australia) on Wednesday jointly condemned the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 people, mostly tourists, in Jammu and Kashmir's Baisaran valley.

The statement comes after India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Japan's Minister of Foreign Affairs Takeshi Iwaya, and Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Washington for the Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting in Washington. The group also urged all the member states of the United Nations "to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities in this regard."

A joint statement was shared by the US Department of State, which read, "The Quad unequivocally condemns all acts of terrorism and violent extremism in all its forms and manifestations, including cross-border terrorism, and renews our commitment to counterterrorism cooperation. We condemn in the strongest terms the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on April 22, 2025, which claimed the lives of 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen, while injuring several others. We express our deepest condolences to the families of the victims and extend our heartfelt wishes for a swift and full recovery to all those injured."

"We call for the perpetrators, organisers, and financiers of this reprehensible act to be brought to justice without any delay and urge all UN Member States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant UNSCRs, to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities in this regard."

India has every right to defend itself: Jaishankar

Addressing a gathering in Washington, S Jaishankar strongly condemned terrorism and referred to India's 'Operation Sindoor', a counterterrorism operation, which was launched after the Pahalgam attack. Condemning the attack, Jaishankar noted, "A word about terrorism in the light of our recent experience. The world must display zero tolerance. Victims and perpetrators must never be equated, and India has every right to defend its people against terrorism, and we will exercise that right. We expect our Quad partners to understand and appreciate that."

Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting

The meeting of the leaders of the four countries focused on a wide range of regional and global issues, including counterterrorism efforts. The group also reaffirmed its commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific. Discussions were also held on the opportunities and challenges in the Indo-Pacific and how they can further harness the strengths and resources of the Quad to advance peace, security, and prosperity.