'It's an attack on the heart of India': German envoy Philipp Ackermann on Pahalgam attack

German ambassador to India, Philipp Ackermann. (File photo/PTI)

Days after the ghastly Pahalgam terror attack, German ambassador to India Philipp Ackermann recently said that "Pahalgam in a game changer in many ways. It is an attack on the heart of India."

In an interview with the Indian Express, when questioned about how did he view India’s response to the Pahalgam terrorist attack and was is it different from the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai, Ackermann said, "The Pahalgam attack was horrifying for its selective killings. It should be called a terrorist attack and has had an impact on the consciousness. You cannot help but feel strongly when you see the families and spouses of those who have been killed. It’s heartbreaking to see the young and newly-married lose their husbands."

"Pahalgam is a game changer in many ways and there’s an enormous amount of solidarity that has gone out to India. I was in Kashmir last year and compared to what it was 15 years ago, I saw tourists everywhere. So basically, Pahalgam is an attack on the heart of India," he added.

"I am a diplomat. So I feel that the language of diplomacy is the best language to speak. Both governments know that de-escalation is the question of the hour," the German envoy told IE.

At least 26 civilians, mostly tourists, were gunned down near Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22, prompting India to retaliate and carry out Operation Sindoor on May 7, under which it struck down nine terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

Since that day, Pakistan has resorted to unprovoked shelling along the northern and western International Borders (IB) and drone attacks on several Indian cities where were intercepted by Indian air defence system.