Pahalgam attack was a security lapse: LG Manoj Sinha

July 14, 2025 by News Desk

Jammu Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has taken personal responsibility for the deadly terror attack that occurred in Pahalgam earlier this year, acknowledging it as a grave lapse in security. In an interview with The Times of India, Sinha described the incident as a Pakistan-sponsored act of terror aimed at disrupting the region’s growing economy and sowing communal discord.

“I take full responsibility for the incident, which was undoubtedly a security failure,” Sinha said. “This was not just an attack on innocent civilians, it was a calculated attempt by Pakistan to derail our progress and divide our people.”

According to Sinha, the attack targeted not just lives but also the economy of Jammu and Kashmir, especially its flourishing tourism sector. “In the past five years, the size of Jammu and Kashmir’s economy has doubled. Tourist arrivals have been at an all-time high. This attack was clearly a hit at Kashmir’s economic revival,” he said.

He added that the widespread condemnation of the attack by ordinary Kashmiris was a “befitting reply” to both Pakistan and the terror outfits involved.

While acknowledging the challenges ahead, Sinha stressed that militant recruitment among local youth had drastically declined. “There has been just one incident of local recruitment this year, compared to six or seven last year. There was a time when that number used to be 150 to 200. But Pakistan continues to send heavily armed infiltrators into both the Jammu and Kashmir regions,” he warned.

Tourism in Pahalgam came to a near standstill in the aftermath of the attack. “Tourist arrivals had almost stopped. We believed the Amarnath Yatra would be a turning point,” Sinha said. He confirmed that tourist destinations closed after the attack have now begun reopening in phases, with “robust security plans” being implemented.

Reflecting on broader security measures, Sinha referred to “Operation Sindoor,” a recent counter-terror operation that he said had drawn red lines for Pakistan. “India has made it clear that any terror attack will be treated as an act of war,” he asserted. “The precision with which our forces targeted terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistan has sent a stern message.”

Despite the ongoing threat, Sinha expressed confidence in the preparedness of India’s security agencies. “The Union Home Ministry, Defence Ministry, and our intelligence agencies are fully equipped to deal with any threat. We will not let terrorism define the future of Jammu Kashmir”