This week on Hafta, Newslaundry’s Abhinandan Sekhri, Raman Kirpal, Manisha Pande, and Anand Vardhan are joined by diplomatic and foreign affairs expert Manoj Joshi. 

The Pahalgam terror attack was at the centre of the discussion, with the panel exploring various aspects of the incident, including security lapses, recent developments, India’s immediate diplomatic response, its potential long-term impact, and possible future measures India might take to handle the situation.

Highlighting the severity of the attack, Manoj says, “This is happening for the first time in the past 20 years, where defenceless tourists have been attacked like this.”  Remembering the Chittisinghpura Sikh massacre in Kashmir, Raman says, “The buildup of terror attacks has significantly changed over the past 24 years.” 

In light of Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir’s statements about the attack, Manoj comments, “There is an obvious split in the Pakistan Army after Munir’s appointment. The Pakistan Army has a tradition: whoever the chief is, everyone listens to him. But now, the situation is different. So, it’s a move to survive in one’s position.” 

Referring to JD Vance’s presence in India during the attack, Anand points out, “Security should have been much stronger when foreign dignitaries were visiting India.”

The panel agrees that Kashmiri people are unanimously protesting against this terror attack. Manisha remarks, “An average Kashmiri today doesn’t see their future with Pakistan.”

Focusing on how world leaders are viewing this attack and what their standpoints might be in the evolving diplomatic relationship between India and Pakistan, Abhinandan says, “When two nuclear-armed states are on a standoff, it’s everybody’s business. It's the world's business.”

This and a lot more. Tune in!

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Song: Socho Ke Jheelon Ka Sheher Ho

Timecodes

00:00:00 – Introductions and announcements
00:02:35 – Headlines 

00:07:57 – Chennai meet-up announcements

00:09:10 – Pahalgam terror attack

01:09:51 – Manoj Joshi’s recommendations

01:15:10 – Media coverage of Pahalgam attack
01:27:02  – Letters

01:43:22 – Recommendations

References 

NL Sena - The impunity of India’s police

Subscribe to NL-TNM

Gonads: X & Y

Campus Pe Crackdown: The assault on student activism in India

Log out to get 'de-radicalised': Kashmir to monitor social media and counsel radicalised youth

Recommendations

Manoj

The Lost Rebellion: Kashmir in the Nineties

Raman 

Aar ya paar: Delhi’s escalation ladder with Pakistan, step by step

The Pahalgam abyss

Responding to the terror attack in Pahalgam

Campus Pe Crackdown: The assault on student activism in India 

Manisha
How mutton rogan josh and Kashmiri kindness saved a Kerala family from Pahalgam attack

The Pahalgam abyss

The Unending Game:A Former R&AW Chief's Insights into Espionage

Anand

The Undying Light : A Personal History of Independent India

Abhinandan

Highway On My Podcast Ep 9: Wazwan at a wedding, and tasting your way through Kashmir’s breads

Apple and Meta attack 'unfair' €700m EU fines

Check out previous Hafta recommendations, references, songs and letters 

Produced and recorded by Priyali Dhingra and Ashish Anand.
Production assistance by intern Pragya Chakroborty.

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