Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Former Pentagon official and American analyst Michael Rubin has launched a scathing attack on Pakistan and its Army Chief Asim Munir following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu & Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 civilians.
Speaking to ANI, Rubin said,
“The only difference between Osama Bin Laden and Asim Munir is that Bin Laden lived in a cave and Asim Munir lives in a palace. But beyond that, the two are the same — and their end should also be the same.”
Rubin Calls For US Action
Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, urged the United States to formally designate Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism, and also label Asim Munir a terrorist. He added that there should be no illusion that the Pahalgam attack was a “spontaneous action.”
Using sharp rhetoric, Rubin said,
“You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig,” implying that Pakistan’s attempts to shift blame or obscure its involvement are transparent and ineffective.
Link to High-Level Diplomatic Visit
Rubin pointed out that the attack was likely timed to sabotage the visit of US Vice President JD Vance to India — drawing parallels to a similar terror incident during former US President Bill Clinton’s visit to India.
India’s Retaliatory Diplomatic Measures
In response to the attack, India announced a slew of diplomatic countermeasures:
-
Expulsion of Pakistani military attachés from New Delhi.
-
Suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (1960).
-
Closure of the Attari land border transit post.
-
Reduction of diplomatic staff in both high commissions to 30 each (from 55).
-
Cancellation of SAARC visa exemptions for Pakistani nationals, who now have 48 hours to leave India if in-country.
-
Persona non grata designation for Pakistan’s defence, naval, and air attachés in New Delhi.
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri made the announcements, citing Pakistan’s direct and ongoing involvement in cross-border terrorism.
