'Eliminate JeM, combat terrorism': US Congressman's stern message to Bilawal Bhutto-led Pakistani delegation

US Congressman Brad Sherman during a meeting with the Pakistani delegation led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in Washington. (Courtesy: X | @BradSherman)

US Congressman Brad Sherman has called on Pakistan to do all it can to take swift against against terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM). In his interaction with a visiting Pakistani delegation, he called JeM a 'vile' group responsible for heinous acts and asked the members to ensure protection of religious minorities in Pakistan.

Sherman conveyed the stern message to Pakistan as he met a visiting delegation, led by former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in Washington on Thursday.

"I emphasized to the Pakistani delegation the importance of combatting terrorism, and in particular, the group Jaish-e-Mohammed, who murdered my constituent Daniel Pearl in 2002. Pearl’s family continues to live in my district, and Pakistan should do all it can to eliminate this vile group and combat terrorism in the region," he posted on X, formerly Twitter.

I emphasized to the Pakistani delegation the importance of combatting terrorism, and in particular, the group Jaish-e-Mohammed, who murdered my constituent Daniel Pearl in 2002. Pearls family continues to live in my district, and Pakistan should do all it can to eliminate this

Congressman Brad Sherman (@BradSherman) June 5, 2025

JeM is a UN-designated terrorist group which is responsible for numerous deadly attacks in India, including the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing. On February 14, 2019, a CRPF convoy was targeted by a JeM suicide bomber on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. The gruesome attack claimed the lives of 40 CRPF personnel.

In his interaction with the Bilawal-led delegation, Sherman also raised concern over the state of religious minorities in Pakistan. "Christians, Hindus and Ahmadiyya Muslims living in Pakistan must be allowed to practice their faith and participate in the democratic system without fear of violence, persecution, discrimination, or an unequal justice system," he conveyed to the visiting members from Pakistan.

The US Congressman also urged the delegation to relay to their government the need to free Dr Shakil Afridi, the Pakistani physician who helped the CIA locate Osama bin Laden. Afridi, who was arrested in 2011, helped the CIA run a polio vaccination programme in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to collect DNA samples of the al-Qaeda founder's family.

"I urged the Pakistani delegation to relay to their government the need to free Dr. Shakil Afridi, who continues to languish in prison for helping the United States kill Osama Bin Laden. Freeing Dr. Afridi represents an important step in bringing closure for victims of 9/11," he wrote in one of the posts.

The Pakistani delegation scheduled its Washington visit at a time when a multi-party Indian delegation led by Shashi Tharoor is present there as part of India's global outreach on Operation Sindoor. Seven such multi-party delegations visited different countries to put across India's stand against terrorism following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.