India will pursue perpetrators of Kashmir attack to 'ends of the earth,' Modi says
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to pursue and punish terrorists and their backers after a deadly militant attack on tourists in Kashmir, where police have identified two of the gunmen as Pakistani.
SRINAGAR, India — Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed on Thursday to pursue, track and punish terrorists and their backers in a strong reaction to a deadly militant attack on tourists in Kashmir, where police have identified two of the gunmen as Pakistani.
At a speech in India’s eastern state of Bihar, Modi folded his hands in prayer in remembrance for the 26 men who were shot and killed in a meadow in the Pahalgam region of Indian Kashmir, exhorting thousands gathered at the venue to do the same.
“We will pursue them to the ends of the earth,” Modi said, referring to the attackers, without referring to their identities or naming Pakistan.
His comments are, however, bound to further inflame ties between the nuclear-armed rivals after India downgraded ties with Pakistan late on Wednesday, suspending a six-decade-old water treaty and closing the only land border crossing between the neighbors.
Both countries later canceled visas for their nationals to each other’s countries Thursday. Indian authorities said all visas issued to Pakistani nationals will be revoked with effect from Sunday, adding that all Pakistanis currently in India must leave before their visas expire based on the revised timeline. The country also announced other measures, including cutting the number of diplomatic staff and closing the only functional land border crossing between the countries.
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