From Osama Bin Laden’s hideout to Indus water treaty violations: Vikram Misri rips Pakistan's claims after precision strikes

Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Thursday launched a sharp attack on Pakistan’s track record on terrorism, linking the country to decades of extremist activity and stating that India’s missile strikes under Operation Sindoor were a “measured” response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 civilians.

“Pakistan’s reputation as the epicentre of global terrorism is rooted in a number of instances... I don’t need to remind where Osama Bin Laden was found and who called him a martyr,” Misri said during the press briefing today. “Pakistan is also home to a large number of UN-proscribed terrorists and also to terrorists proscribed by many countries.”

'We are retaliating, not escalating'

Misri called the April 22 massacre the “original escalation,” saying, “First of all, 22 April is the first instance of escalation, and for this, Indian armed forces gave their answer with Operation Sindoor.”

He dismissed Pakistan’s claims of civilian casualties during India’s cross-border strikes and questioned their narrative. “If any civilians were killed, what message does it send when their coffins are draped in Pakistani flags and given state honours? As far as we are concerned, those eliminated were terrorists,” he said.

'All lies'

On Pakistan’s claim that religious sites were hit, Misri was blunt, “This is completely false. Our targets were terrorist locations. On the contrary, it was Pakistan that hit Sikh community areas in Jammu & Kashmir’s Poonch district, killing at least three civilians.”

He also addressed broader regional and diplomatic dimensions. Misri said India will soon engage with the United Nations 1267 Sanctions Monitoring Committee to press its case on terror financiers and facilitators. He also pointed to Pakistan’s previous denials in attacks like the 2008 Mumbai and 2016 Pathankot incidents, saying India had provided forensic evidence and expected accountability.

Indus Water Treaty

Regarding the Indus Waters Treaty, Misri noted that while India has honoured the agreement for over six decades, Pakistan “has been acting in violation of the treaty by deliberately creating roadblocks.”

The Ministry of External Affairs also accused Pakistani ministers themselves of acknowledging terror links. “Pakistan is trying to wash its hands off terrorist involvement. But even their own Defence Minister and former Foreign Minister have admitted ties with such groups,” Misri said.