Jamil Maqsood, a UK-based activist and native of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK), has described India's Operation Sindoor as a "bold and precise" response to the recent Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed the lives of 26 innocent civilians, mostly Hindu tourists.

Maqsood, who has long advocated for the rights of people in PoK and Gilgit-Baltistan, emphasised that the operation sent a clear and powerful message to terrorist groups and, crucially, to the Pakistani military establishment, which he accuses of perpetuating extremism in the region.

Maqsood stated that Pakistan has served as a safe haven for terrorists for decades, and Operation Sindoor demonstrated that India possesses both the capability and the resolve to act decisively against such threats.

He warned that the problem of terrorism emanating from Pakistan is not limited to India but constitutes a global threat, as many major terrorist organisations worldwide have operatives who received training and radical indoctrination in Pakistan. According to Maqsood, this environment has turned Pakistan into a breeding ground for global terrorism, endangering international peace and security.

He also expressed concern about the changing geopolitical landscape, citing instances where former terrorists have been seen with world leaders, which he believes emboldens extremist groups and undermines efforts to promote democracy, human rights, and peaceful coexistence.

Maqsood criticised Pakistan's policy of supporting extremist ideologies and militant groups, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, and accused Islamabad of using PoK and its people as tools to further a militarised and extremist agenda.

Describing the grim reality of life under Pakistani control in PoK, Maqsood highlighted systemic neglect and the denial of basic human rights. He pointed out the lack of adequate healthcare and education, with schools often underfunded or used for radical indoctrination. Free speech, he said, is non-existent, with dissenters quickly branded as traitors or silenced. He asserted that any development in the region is strategically motivated, serving only Islamabad's interests rather than those of the local population.

Operation Sindoor, according to Maqsood, was more than a military strike; it was a signal to the international community that India is willing to stand up against terrorism and, in doing so, also stands up for the oppressed people of PoK.

The operation itself was a carefully coordinated campaign targeting nine significant terror infrastructure sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, with a focus on neutralising key terror camps while minimising civilian casualties.

High-value targets linked to previous major attacks were eliminated, and the operation marked a strategic shift by India in directly targeting terrorist infrastructure deep within Pakistani territory.

Maqsood's remarks underscore the broader implications of Operation Sindoor, framing it as a turning point in the fight against Pakistan-backed terrorism and as a call for global attention to the plight of people living under Pakistani occupation in PoK.

He urged the international community to recognise that the suffering in PoK is not accidental but a result of deliberate policies aimed at perpetuating instability and extremism in the region.

Based On ANI Report