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India’s Ambassador to Israel, JP Singh, has urged the formation of an international coalition to combat terrorism, emphasizing that India’s Operation Sindoor targeting Pakistan is “paused” but “not concluded.” He demanded that Islamabad hand over key terrorists Hafiz Saeed, Sajid Mir, and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, citing the precedent set by the United States in extraditing Tahawwur Hussain Rana, a mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.
In an interview with Israeli TV channel i24 on Monday, India’s Ambassador to Israel, JP Singh, detailed the events leading to India’s offensive, stating that Operation Sindoor initially targeted terror groups in Pakistan.
Citing the April 22 Pahalgam attack, Singh noted, “Terrorists killed people based on their religion, asking victims their faith before murdering them, resulting in 26 innocent lives lost.” He clarified that India’s operation focused on dismantling terror groups and their infrastructure, to which Pakistan retaliated by attacking Indian military installations.
When asked if the ceasefire is holding and whether the matter is resolved, Singh replied, “The ceasefire is currently intact, but we have made it clear that Operation Sindoor is paused, not concluded.”
He emphasized India’s resolve, stating, “The fight against terrorism continues. We have established a new norm of pursuing an offensive strategy. Wherever terrorists are, we will eliminate them and destroy their infrastructure. The operation is not over, but the ceasefire holds for now.”
Highlighting India’s strike on Pakistan’s Nur Khan base on May 10 as a pivotal moment, Ambassador JP Singh stated that it triggered panic in Pakistan, prompting their DGMO to contact India’s counterpart to request a ceasefire.
Addressing Pakistan’s claim that suspending the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) is “an act of war,” Singh remarked that the treaty’s core principles of goodwill and friendship, as outlined in its 1960 preamble, were never upheld by Pakistan. “While India allowed water to flow, Pakistan permitted terror attacks to cross into India,” he said, noting public frustration over this imbalance. Quoting the Prime Minister, he added, “Blood and water cannot flow together, which is why we decided to put the IWT in abeyance.”
Singh stressed that for any such treaty to function, “terror must stop,” and Pakistan must end cross-border terrorism. He concluded, “While the IWT is paused, another IWT is active—Operation Sindoor, India’s War Against Terrorism.”
Citing a series of terror attacks in India originating from Pakistan, Ambassador JP Singh identified Jaish-e-Muhammad and Lashkar-e-Taiba as the “root cause.” He noted that leaders of Lashkar-e-Taiba, responsible for the Mumbai attacks that also killed several Jews, continue to roam free.
“They must honor the goodwill and friendship in the Indus Water Treaty’s preamble by simply handing over these terrorists,” Singh urged. He pointed out that the United States recently extradited Tahawwur Hussain Rana, involved in the Mumbai attack, and questioned why Pakistan cannot do the same. “If the US can hand over culprits, why can’t Pakistan hand over Hafiz Saeed, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, and Sajid Mir? It’s that simple,” he emphasized.
Dismissing Pakistan’s offer to investigate the Pahalgam attack as a deflection tactic, Singh questioned their inaction on prior attacks, including Mumbai, Pathankot, and Pulwama. “We’ve provided dossiers, technical inputs, and evidence shared by the US, yet nothing has been done,” he said. “Lakhvi, the main planner of the Mumbai attack, and Hafiz Saeed, Lashkar-e-Taiba’s leader, still walk free. We cannot trust them.”
Calling terrorism a global threat, Singh advocated for stronger international cooperation. “Countries like India, Israel, and others facing terrorism must expand diplomatic efforts, collaborate, and form a coalition against terrorism and its supporters,” he proposed.
He concluded, “Our Prime Minister has made it clear: we have zero tolerance for terrorism and will not accept cross-border attacks.”
