KATHMANDU: The escalating tensions between India and Pakistan have led to divisions within CPN (Maoist Centre), with senior leaders taking opposing stances on India’s recent airstrikes in Pakistan.

General Secretary Dev Prasad Gurung expressed strong condemnation of the Indian airstrikes that targeted at least nine locations in Pakistan. He questioned the justification for such military action without independent verification of Pakistan’s involvement in the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir.

Gurung emphasized the lack of proof linking Pakistan to the attack that killed 27 people, including a Nepali citizen, and warned against taking military action based solely on unverified claims. “Blaming a country without proof and launching military action cannot be justified. These actions must stop immediately, and dialogue must be pursued,” he said, calling for independent international investigation into the incident.

In contrast, Deputy General Secretary Janardhan Sharma defended India’s military response, calling it a legitimate action against terrorism. He praised India’s ‘Operation Sindoor’, describing terrorism as one of the gravest threats to humanity.

“Every nation has the duty to confront terrorism. India’s operation is part of that responsibility, and we must stand in solidarity to defeat such threats and promote peace and stability,” Sharma said, aligning with India’s stance on fighting terrorism.

Gurung reiterated Nepal’s commitment to peace as outlined in the UN Charter and the Panchsheel principles and urged the government to uphold its balanced diplomatic relations with both nations.

“Nepal cannot remain a silent spectator. We must advocate for peace, not war,” Gurung stressed.