Modi vows to pursue terrorists to ‘ends of the Earth’ after Kashmir attack

India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, has vowed to punish all those responsible for Tuesday’s attack in Kashmir, pursuing them “to the ends of the Earth”.

Twenty-six men were killed in the tourist hotspot of Pahalgam, in the deadliest attack on civilians in the contested Muslim-majority territory since 2000.

“I say to the whole world: India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backer,” Modi said, in his first speech since the Himalayan attack.

India accused Islamabad on Wednesday of supporting “cross-border terrorism” and downgraded ties with its neighbour with a series of diplomatic measures. Pakistan has denied any role in the attack.

On Wednesday evening, Pakistan’s top diplomat in Delhi, Saad Ahmad Warraich, the charge d’affaires at the Pakistan embassy, was summoned by India’s ministry of external affairs, according to a diplomatic source and local media reports.

India had already closed a key land border with Pakistan, suspended a water-sharing treaty, and barred Pakistani citizens from entering under a visa exemption scheme.

On Thursday, police in Kashmir published notices naming three suspected militants alleged to have been involved in the attack, and announced rewards for information leading to their arrest. Two of the three suspected militants are Pakistani nationals, according to the notices.

The late-night summoning of Pakistan’s top diplomat reflected India’s “anguish” over the attack, the official said. “We raised our concerns and formally notified the measures India has taken in the wake of the terror attack.”

According to the diplomatic source and local media, the Pakistani diplomat was informed that all defence advisers at the country’s mission in New Delhi had been declared persona non grata and were expected to leave within a week.

Modi, who was speaking in Bihar state to launch development projects, first led two minutes of silence in memory of those killed.

“I say this unequivocally: whoever has carried out this attack, and the ones who devised it, will be made to pay beyond their imagination,” he said, speaking in Hindi in front of a large crowd. “They will certainly pay. Whatever little land these terrorists have, it’s time to reduce it to dust. The willpower of 1.4 billion Indians will break the backbone of these terrorists.”

He finished his speech with rare comments in English, directing them to an audience abroad. “Terrorism will not go unpunished,” Modi said….