New Delhi, July 18 (IANS) Following the United States’ decision to designate The Resistance Front (TRF) as a global terrorist organisation, Rajesh Narwal, father of slain Navy officer Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who lost his life in the deadly Pahalgam terror attack, welcomed the move and called for stricter international action against such terror groups.

Lt. Vinay Narwal was one of the 26 people killed in the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, for which the TRF had claimed responsibility.

Speaking to reporters in Karnal, Rajesh Narwal said TRF has long operated as a proxy for Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), one of the most dangerous Pakistan-based terror outfits.

He recalled that the emergence of TRF took place soon after the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir and was intended to disguise the LeT’s operations and gain broader appeal by misleading the public.

“TRF is not a new group. It is just a new name — a mask — for Lashkar-e-Taiba. Their aim has always been to target security forces, patrol units, and even civilians. While the Indian government had already declared it a terrorist group, this move by the US adds global weight to the fight against such outfits,” he said.

He credited the Indian government, especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, for galvanising international support after the Pahalgam terror attack.

“They raised the issue globally with seriousness, and this US action is the result of that diplomatic push,” he added.

Rajesh Narwal called upon other global powers to follow the US’ lead. “Just declaring these groups as terrorist organisations is not enough. There must be concrete action. Those involved in such acts must not only be punished but eliminated. Only then can we ensure global security,” he added.

He stressed the need for coordinated international efforts to clamp down on not just TRF, but all terror outfits operating worldwide.

“This is just the beginning. All such groups must face bans, sanctions, and most importantly — action,” he concluded.

–IANS

sas/rad