Pakistan’s Army Chief, General Asim Munir, recently referred to Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein” in a provocative statement that is being viewed as a potential trigger for Lashkar-e-Taiba’s terror strike in Pahalgam, which coincided with the arrival of US Vice President JD Vance, sources said.
While agencies have yet to make a definitive assessment, several intelligence officers indicated that Munir’s inflammatory speech — in which he also highlighted alleged differential treatment between Muslims and Hindus — may have emboldened The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy that has claimed responsibility for the attack, to plan a “spectacular strike”.
An intelligence assessment suspects that Lashkar’s top commander, Saifullah Kasuri, alias Khalid, was one of the key plotters. Reports also suggest the involvement of Abu Musa and two other Lashkar leaders based in Rawalakot is under investigation.
During a rally in Rawalakot on 18 April, Musa declared, “Jihad will continue, guns will rage, and beheadings will continue in Kashmir. India wants to change the demography of Kashmir by giving domicile certificates to non-locals.”
Content retrieved from: https://www.firstpost.com/india/terrorist-attack-in-pahalgam-pakistan-army-chief-asim-musa-kashmir-13882282.html.
