Pahalgam Terror Attack | In All Party Meeting, Central Government Admits Security Lapses: Report
In a rare display of candour, the central government admitted to security lapses during the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists. This acknowledgement came during a closed-door all-party meeting on Thursday, where top ministers and opposition leaders were briefed about the deadly attack and the government’s response.
According to sources, a senior leader from the ruling alliance told opposition MPs, “If nothing had gone wrong, why would we be sitting here? There have been lapses somewhere that we have to find out.” This admission was a key moment in the discussion that followed a wave of national outrage.
The all-party meeting, chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, was attended by Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju, and opposition leaders including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Supriya Sule, Asaduddin Owaisi, and others.
Opposition parties grilled the government over apparent security failures, questioning the absence of security personnel and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in the Baisaran area near Pahalgam, where the attack took place. Government representatives reportedly explained that local authorities had opened the area—traditionally restricted until the start of the Amarnath Yatra—without informing central security agencies.
There were also concerns over the delayed emergency response. Officials admitted the site was a 45-minute uphill walk and no proper Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was in place to deal with such contingencies.
Despite the criticism, the meeting concluded on a note of unity. Speaking to reporters afterwards, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju said all parties had expressed solidarity with the government. “All political parties said they are with the government in this fight against terrorism,” he said.
Rahul Gandhi echoed this sentiment, stating, “The Opposition has given full support to the government to take any action. Everyone condemned the Pahalgam terrorist attack.”
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge called for peace to be restored in the Valley and confirmed that Gandhi would visit the injured victims in Anantnag the following day.
The gruesome attack on Sunday was carried out by terrorists linked to a Lashkar-e-Taiba offshoot, targeting a group of tourists in the meadows of Baisaran. Among the deceased were 25 Indian tourists from 14 states and one Nepali national. The assault is being described as one of the worst attacks on civilians in recent years.
In response, the government has already taken several diplomatic measures including the cancellation of all visas for Pakistani nationals, suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, and closure of the Attari border. While speculation of military retaliation is rife, government sources indicated that no military options were discussed in the meeting.
Islamabad, meanwhile, responded with a warning to suspend bilateral agreements including the Simla Accord and plans to reduce Indian diplomatic presence in Pakistan.
