Washington, DC [US], April 24 (ANI): In the aftermath of the deadly terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26, Michael Rubin, former Pentagon official and senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, said that recent remarks made by Pakistan Army Chief General Asim Munir may have served as a direct provocation for the assault.

Speaking to ANI, Rubin did not mince words in blaming Islamabad for fostering terrorism in the region.

'Certainly that speech seemed to green light terror. Asim Munir said that Kashmir is the jugular vein. What India now needs to do is to cut Pakistan's jugular. There's no ifs, ands, or buts. There are no shortcuts anymore. Asim Munir gave the green light,' Rubin stated.

Rubin highlighted Pakistan's long-standing role in harboring terrorist groups. 'We know that Pakistan is home to a myriad of terrorist groups, including Lashkar-e-Taiba... Unfortunately, because of a lack of concerted counter-terror action, because Pakistani diplomats are playing the West for fools, we now have an expansion of the problem, not only in Pakistan but frankly in Bangladesh as well,' he added.

Referring to the Pahalgam attack, Rubin said that evidence was still being gathered, but early indicators all pointed to Pakistani involvement.

'But when we look at what happened, how do we know it's Pakistan? The intelligence will come in over the next few days. I'm sure that there's going to be some signals intelligence. There's going to be human intelligence. But we also know, based on geography, based on precedent, and based on ideological swamp, that it is Pakistan's ISI, that they are logistically and ideologically the only country that is the suspect right now.'

Rubin also pointed out the timing of the attack and said that Pakistan wanted to draw attention away from the visit of US VP JD Vance to India.

'As for the timing, just as there was a terrorist attack when Bill Clinton went to India, so too does it seem that Pakistan wants to draw attention away from Vice President JD Vance's trip to India. The United States shouldn't let Pakistan get away with it, and we shouldn't pretend that this is some sort of spontaneous action,' he said.

Pointing out the simmilarities of the Pahalgam attack with the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7 last year, Rubin said it was time for India to do to the ISI what Israel has done to the Hamas.

'That is exactly what went on when October 7th 2023 Hamas attack on Israel. It was directed specifically against Jews and not only against Jews, but among the most liberal Jews who were most prone to wanting peace and normalcy with the Gaza Strip. Targeting a vacation resort, middle-class Hindus, it is evident that the Pakistanis are trying the same tactic now. It should be no more successful for Pakistan than it was for Hamas. And frankly, it's now the duty of India to do to Pakistan and to Pakistan's ISI what Israel did to Hamas. It's time to wipe out the leadership of the ISI to treat them as a designated terror group and demand that every country that is an ally of India, every country that is an ally of the world's largest democracy, do the same,.' said Michael Rubin.

The brutal attack in Pahalgam on Tuesday left 26 civilians dead after terrorists opened fire on tourists in the Baisaran meadow, making it one of the most horrific incidents since the 2019 Pulwama terror strike. The attack has drawn comparisons with past high-profile attacks and has reignited public outrage across the country.

In response, India announced stringent countermeasures against Pakistan, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 and closing the integrated check post at Attari with immediate effect--moves intended to send a strong diplomatic message against cross-border terrorism. (ANI)