SCO Summit Denounces Deadly Pahalgam Attack, Demands Justice for Perpetrators
TIANJIN: Leaders of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) issued a strong condemnation of the April 22, 2025, terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed 26 civilian lives, including 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen. The declaration, adopted at the SCO summit in Tianjin, China, expressed deep condolences to the victims’ families and wished a swift recovery for the injured. The leaders emphasized that those responsible for orchestrating, financing, and executing the attack must face justice without delay.
The Pahalgam attack, one of the deadliest in the region since the 2008 Mumbai attacks, targeted tourists in the scenic Baisaran Valley, near Pahalgam. The Resistance Front (TRF), a Pakistan-based offshoot of the UN-designated terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, claimed responsibility for the assault, which India alleges was designed to destabilize Jammu and Kashmir’s tourism economy and inflame religious tensions. Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, speaking at the summit, reiterated India’s unwavering commitment to combating terrorism and holding perpetrators accountable, without directly naming Pakistan due to SCO protocols.
The SCO, comprising 10 member states including India, China, and Russia, underscored its founding mission to counter terrorism, separatism, and extremism. The leaders’ statement echoed a prior UN Security Council condemnation, urging all nations to cooperate under international law to bring those behind the attack to justice. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, attending the summit, had pushed for a robust denouncement of cross-border terrorism, a key focus of India’s agenda.
Jaishankar, addressing his counterparts, including Pakistan’s Ishaq Dar, stressed that the attack aimed to undermine regional stability. He called on the SCO to maintain a firm stance against terrorism, aligning with the organization’s goals of fostering peace and security. The summit, hosted by Chinese President Xi Jinping, also set the stage for discussions on regional cooperation, with Modi expected to engage in bilateral talks to further India’s diplomatic efforts.