Quad Falls Short of Naming Pakistan for Cross‑Border Terrorism
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At the Washington meeting on July 1, the foreign ministers of the Quad (India, the US, Australia, and Japan) strongly denounced the April 22 Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 people, calling for the swift prosecution of the “perpetrators, organisers, and financiers” of the “reprehensible act.” They reaffirmed their commitment to counter-terrorism cooperation and urged UN member states to aid in the pursuit of justice.
However, despite India’s explicit attribution of the attack to Pakistan-backed militants, the Quad’s communiqué made no direct reference to Pakistan—using only the term “cross-border terrorism.” This omission has sparked criticism in New Delhi. The editorial in The Tribune called it “disappointing,” noting the failure to mention Pakistan or address Operation Sindoor.
Diplomatic sources told The Telegraph India that Quad partners avoided naming Pakistan to maintain delicate bilateral relations, especially with Washington, Canberra, and Tokyo. India’s External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar emphasized in the same meeting that “victims and perpetrators must never be equated,” urging the Quad partners to reinforce India’s right to defend itself.
This cautious wording mirrors the language used by the UN Security Council, which also refrained from explicitly naming Pakistan in its May 2025 statement on the attack.
