Priyanka Chaturvedi urges for PoK's inclusion to curb terrorism
After the tragic terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam region, Shiv Sena UBT MP Priyanka Chaturvedi on Wednesday said that such acts will continue until Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) "becomes a part of India". Speaking on X, the UBT Rajya Sabha MP claimed that Pakistan is behind such acts and that it will "retain some of its relevance as a hub of terrorism." "Until PoK becomes a part of India, Pakistan will retain some of its relevance as a terror hub." I am saying this with full responsibility, the time has come to correct this anomaly. It has to be said," Chaturvedi said.
His remarks came a day after militants opened fire on a group of tourists in the Baisaran plains of Pahalgam that claimed several lives and triggered outrage across the country, underlining the ongoing concerns about cross-border terrorism emanating from Pakistan and its implications on India's national security. The central government has since beefed up security across the region, with Union Home Minister Amit Shah visiting the spot and reviewing the ground situation.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has also rushed to the spot to assist local authorities in probing the attack. The NIA team — headed by a deputy inspector general-rank officer — visited Baisaran a day after terrorists shot dead a group of tourists in the picturesque plains, which is located about five km from Pahalgam town in Kashmir's Anantnag district.
"Members of the NIA team will assist the Jammu and Kashmir Police in the investigation," official sources privy to the development said. The NIA's assistance to the Jammu and Kashmir Police underlines the crucial role in the overall investigation, as the Resistance Front (TRF), a representative of Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack. The NIA team is expected to conduct a thorough assessment of the site of the attack, collect forensic evidence and help identify those responsible for the massacre.