Government admits to security lapses in Pahalgam at all-party meet: Reports

Union Home Minister Amit Shah acknowledged a security lapse in the recent Pahalgam terror attack during a closed-door all-party meeting held in New Delhi, media reports said. Addressing the gathering of political leaders, Shah reportedly said, "If nothing had gone wrong, why would we be sitting here? There have been lapses somewhere that we have to find out."

The admission came amid growing concerns over intelligence and operational failures that led to one of the deadliest terror attacks in Kashmir since 2019. Shah’s statement marked a rare moment of official recognition of shortcomings, even as the government continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack that claimed 26 lives, mostly tourists.

In the meeting Opposition leaders reportedly questioned the Centre about the absence of security forces and Central Reserve Police Force at the attack site in J&K's Pahalgam.

Leaders on Pahalgam terrorist attack

After attending the all-party meeting convened by the central government, Rahul Gandhi said, “Everyone condemned the Pahalgam terrorist attack. The opposition has given full support to the government in taking any action.”

AAP MP Sanjay Singh demanded that accountability needs to be fixed and action should be taken as to why there was a security lapse, due to which the Pahalgam terrorist attack occurred. 

"The entire nation is angry, sad and the nation wants the central government to give a befitting reply to the terrorists in their language. The way they have killed the innocent people, their camps should be destroyed and action should also be taken against Pakistan...This incident took place on 22nd April and on 20th April, that place without the information of security agencies was opened...The security agencies had no information about it...We have demanded that the accountability needs to be fixed and action should be taken as to why there was a security lapse," Singh said.

TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay stated that all political parties assured the government of their full support for any decisions made in the country's interest.

"Security lapses were discussed. We assured the government that all political parties would stand by the government, whatever decisions they made were in the interest of the country," Bandyopadhyay said. 

The Central government on Thursday convened a meeting to discuss the Pahalgam terror attack. 

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Union Minister and BJP National President JP Nadda, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Congress President and Rajya Sabha opposition leader Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, and other prominent leaders attended the meeting. 

Additionally, Ram Gopal Yadav (SP), Supriya Sule (NCP-SP), Shrikant Shinde (NCP), Praful Patel (NCP), Prem Chand Gupta (RJD), Tiruchi Siva (DMK), Sasmit Patra (BJD), Sanjay Singh (AAP), Sudip Bandopadhyay (TMC), Mithun Reddy (YSRC), and BJP's Anil Baluni, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi also attended the meeting.

Terrorists attacked tourists at Baisaran meadow in Pahalgam on Tuesday, killing 25 Indian nationals and one Nepali citizen while leaving several others injured, in one of the deadliest attacks in the valley since the 2019 Pulwama strike in which 40 CRPF jawans were killed.

Following the attack, India has taken strong countermeasures against Pakistan for its support of cross-border terrorism.
In the Cabinet Committee on Security meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah, India decided to hold the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism and has closed the integrated Attari Check Post.

India has also declared the officials of the Pakistani High Commission persona non grata and ordered them to leave India within a week. The country further decided to cancel any visas provided under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) and ordered Pakistan to leave the country within 48 hours.

The Government of India has also decided to suspend visa services for Pakistani nationals, effective immediately. All existing valid visas issued by India to Pakistani nationals will stand revoked, effective from 27 April 2025, the Ministry of External Affairs stated in a press release.

-With ANI inputs