The world must choose peace over terror, and back those who defend it.
In the wake of a horrific terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 innocent Indian tourists lost their lives, the Indian government has responded with decisive force. The perpetrators, linked to Pakistan-based terror outfits Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), once again exposed the failure of Pakistan to control extremist elements operating from its soil.
Adding fuel to the fire, Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari issued a veiled threat, stating that “if water stops flowing from India, blood will flow from here.” This inflammatory rhetoric came amidst rising tensions as New Delhi considered reviewing the Indus Waters Treaty in light of repeated cross-border terrorism.
In response to the Pahalgam massacre, India launched a swift and unprecedented counter-offensive, reportedly targeting multiple terror infrastructure hubs across the Line of Control (LoC). Intelligence reports suggest that nine terror training camps and support bases, including key installations operated by JeM and LeT, were neutralized. Indian forces, using indigenous weapon systems like the BrahMos missile and Akash air defence system, demonstrated not just military strength, but technological self-reliance. Notably, Indian defence systems intercepted and neutralized several incoming drones and projectiles, reportedly sourced from China and Turkey, without a single hit on Indian military bases.
This precise operation drew global attention, not just for its execution but also for what it symbolized — a shift in India’s counter-terror doctrine. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh made it clear that any future terror attack will be treated as an act of war. The Indian armed forces have been given a free hand to respond in kind, reinforcing the Modi government’s zero-tolerance approach to terrorism.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s initial threats gave way to panic. Faced with depleted water reserves and a collapsing internal economy, Islamabad reportedly urged India to reconsider any plans to revoke or modify the Indus Waters Treaty — a pact brokered by the World Bank in 1960 that governs river water sharing between the two countries. India, however, is under no legal or moral obligation to continue business as usual while being bled by terrorism. Article 7 of the Treaty allows for modification or suspension under extraordinary circumstances, and repeated state-sponsored terror qualifies.
The global community, including institutions like the UN Security Council and the World Bank, must now confront an uncomfortable truth: a nation that harbours, supports, and glorifies terror cannot be treated as a credible international partner. For far too long, countries like Pakistan have received diplomatic cover from larger powers — including China, Turkey, and at times, even the United States — while exporting terror beyond their borders.
If the world truly wants peace, it must stand with those who act against terrorism, not those who breed it. India’s recent strikes were not acts of aggression but of self-defence. In targeting terror camps, India has not just defended its citizens but also contributed to global peace and security.
It’s time for the world to ask hard questions. Will the UNSC finally move beyond symbolic condemnations and act against rogue states? Will powerful nations stop shielding terror-exporting regimes for strategic gain? Will the World Bank revisit its role as guarantor of a treaty being undermined by the same state that violates its spirit?
The world must choose: peace or appeasement. There’s no middle ground anymore. And, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was right when he said, “Water and blood cannot flow together.”
