Father of Killed Navy Officer Urges Pakistan Army Chief to Comprehend the True Cost of Terrorism

The father of Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, a young Indian Navy officer who was killed in a terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, expressed a deeply emotional message to Pakistan Army chief General Asim Munir. He stated that the true impact of terrorism would only be understood by the general if his own son or daughter were harmed.

Lieutenant Narwal, who was 26 years old, had recently married on April 16 and was honeymooning with his wife Himanshi in Baisaran meadow, Kashmir, when he was shot at close range by a terrorist. The tragic image of his wife beside his body has become emblematic of one of the deadliest recent terror attacks.

In an interview with NDTV, Rajesh Narwal, the father of Lt Narwal, remarked, “If I, an ordinary person, were given a gun and took his son or daughter, then he [General Munir] would know the pain.” He described the immense grief, saying that no one in the family sleeps more than a few hours and that medicine cannot heal this loss.

Lt Narwal, a promising officer selected via the Services Selection Board, earned his commission in two years and was seen as a natural leader. His father, who studies international relations, remembered his son's early fascination with the military, noting his lifelong admiration for soldiers, discipline, and courage. “We built him over 30 years. He lived fearlessly and died the same way. He will always be my hero,” Rajesh Narwal reflected on the psychological impact on the family.

The officer's body was transported from Kashmir to Delhi and subsequently to his hometown in Haryana, where both Naval personnel and civilians assembled to pay their final respects. His widow performed the last rites, her grief resonating across the nation.

The Resistance Front (TRF), believed to be a proxy for the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), initially took responsibility for the attack but later withdrew its claim as tensions rose. This week, the United States designated TRF as a Foreign Terrorist Organisation and Specially Designated Global Terrorist.

While acknowledging this development, Rajesh Narwal argued that symbolic actions are insufficient. He emphasized the need to identify the ideology, funding, and supporters of such groups, stating, “Sanctions won’t eliminate such outfits. We must identify their ideology, funding, and backers. Mere sanctions are insufficient. These groups must be uprooted completely.”

India responded with what it termed a “measured and proportionate response” through Operation Sindoor on July 16. The Indian Army targeted nine locations linked to terror activities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including Muzaffarabad, Kotli, Bahawalpur, Rawalakot, Bhimber, and Jhelum.

The attack on Lt Narwal and the subsequent military operation have rekindled the debate over Pakistan’s ongoing support for terror groups in Kashmir. Families in mourning are calling for long-term solutions rather than mere diplomatic gestures.

Rajesh Narwal poignantly stated, “We have lost our son. But if there’s one thing we owe him, it’s to make sure no other parent feels this pain again.”