Pahalgam terror attack linked to Pakistan army chief’s remarks, says ex-Pentagon official Michael Rubin

Munir’s ‘jugular vein’ remark seen as trigger for attack in Kashmir

Former Pentagon official Michael Rubin has suggested that the Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 civilians were killed, may have been directly provoked by a recent speech made by Pakistan army chief General Asim Munir. Speaking to media outlets, Rubin claimed Munir’s statement describing Kashmir as Pakistan’s “jugular vein” served as a “green light for terrorism.”

“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,” Rubin stated.

The attack, carried out by The Resistance Front (TRF)—a known proxy of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT)—came nearly a week after Munir’s remarks. It targeted tourists in the Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir.

Rubin draws parallels with 2001 attack during Clinton’s visit

Rubin, now a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, drew a historical parallel between the recent violence and the 2001 terrorist attack that occurred just before former US President Bill Clinton visited India.

“So too does it seem that Pakistan wants to draw attention away from Vice President J D Vance’s trip to India,” Rubin said.
“The United States shouldn’t let Pakistan get away with it… this isn’t spontaneous-it’s orchestrated.”

‘Pakistan the only suspect’: Evidence mounts of ISI’s involvement

Although Indian intelligence agencies are still gathering concrete evidence, Rubin emphasized that all signs—geography, ideology, and historical precedent—point to Pakistan and its Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) agency as the primary culprit.[1]

“We also know, based on geography, precedent, and ideological swamp, that it is Pakistan’s ISI. They are logistically and ideologically the only country that is a suspect right now.”

Rubin slams Pakistan’s role as terrorist safe haven

Rubin went further to criticize Pakistan for fostering terrorist networks and deceiving the international community.

“Pakistan is home to a myriad of terrorist groups, including Lashkar-e-Taiba… Pakistani diplomats are playing the West for fools. This negligence has led to an expansion of terrorism, not only in Pakistan but in Bangladesh as well.”

What did General Asim Munir say?

At a Parliamentary Committee on National Security meeting last week, General Asim Munir reaffirmed Pakistan’s ideological claim on Kashmir, invoking the two-nation theory and calling the region “our jugular vein.”

“It was our jugular vein, it is our jugular vein, we will not forget it. We will not leave our Kashmiri brethren in their heroic struggle against Indian occupation,” Munir declared.

India’s strong response to Munir’s remarks

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) hit back strongly at Munir’s comments.

“How can anything foreign be a jugular vein? This is the Union Territory of India. Its only relationship with Pakistan is the vacating of illegally occupied territories by that country,” the MEA stated.

As investigations into the Pahalgam massacre continue, global experts are drawing increasing attention to Pakistan’s ongoing support for terrorism and the destabilizing role of its military leadership in South Asia.

Reference:

[1] ‘India now needs to cut Pakistan’s Jugular,” says Michael Rubin, former Pentagon official – Apr 24, 2025, ANI

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