 "'India had every right to retaliate': Nikki Haley says Pakistan can't play victim card after Pahalgam attack")
Days after Pakistan-backed terrorists killed 26 tourists in Pahalgam and India subsequently decimated nine terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, former US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley on Thursday slammed Pakistan, saying Islamabad can no longer portray itself as a victim of terrorism.
As part of ‘Operation Sindoor’, India carried out precision strikes on locations linked to terror outfits such as Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba. Earlier in the day, Indian forces also took out Pakistani Air Defence Radars at multiple sites, including in Lahore.
“Terrorists launched an attack that killed dozens of Indian citizens. India had every right to retaliate and defend itself. Pakistan does not get to play the victim. No country gets a pass for supporting terrorist activity,” said Haley in an X post.
Terrorists launched an attack that killed dozens of Indian citizens. India had every right to retaliate and defend itself.
— Nikki Haley (@NikkiHaley) May 8, 2025
Pakistan does not get to play the victim. No country gets a pass for supporting terrorist activity.
Despite growing global support for India’s right to defend its territorial integrity following the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan continues to push a counter-narrative, claiming that civilians were targeted during India’s cross-border military action, ‘Operation Sindoor’.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsResponding to these allegations, India strongly refuted the claims, accusing Pakistan of spreading misinformation to portray itself as a victim. The Ministry of Defence confirmed that Indian Armed Forces struck nine terror bases in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), all linked to terrorist activities directed against India.
India clarified that no Pakistani military installations or civilians were targeted in the operation. “Our actions have been focused, measured and non-escalatory in nature… India has demonstrated considerable restraint in the selection of targets and method of execution," the government said in an official statement.
Dismissing Pakistan’s repeated claims about civilian casualties, the government stated: “The individuals eliminated at these facilities were terrorists. Giving terrorists state funerals, maybe a practice in Pakistan."
Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri also weighed in, pointing to images from the funerals and questioning the narrative: “I wonder what message this picture (of State funerals) actually sends to all of you. This is a question that is worth asking."
With inputs from agencies
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
