NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Wednesday that the terrorists responsible for the Pahalgam attack have been identified and will soon be dealt with.

While delivering a lecture on Jammu and Kashmir: Towards Peace at the Gandhi Smriti, Sinha emphasised that any attempts to disrupt peace in the Kashmir Valley will not succeed.

"Following the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan received a strong response through Operation Sindoor. Those who carried out the attack have been identified, and I can confidently say they do not have long to live. Good news will come, but it's not appropriate to disclose a specific date. Over the past five years, even the highest leaders of various terrorist organisations are no longer alive, and they will meet the same fate," Sinha said.

On April 22, 26 people, mostly tourists, were gunned down by terrorists in an attack at Pahalgam in the Kashmir Valley.

In retaliation, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7 to target terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).

"With the efforts of the local administration and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we are moving towards making Jammu and Kashmir the state of Gandhi's dreams," Sinha said at the event presided over by former union minister and vice chairman of Gandhi Smriti, Vijay Goel.

Discussing developmental projects in Jammu and Kashmir, particularly following the removal of Article 370 in 2019, Sinha highlighted that the Valley has experienced inclusive development in a short time.

Highways worth Rs 1.5 lakh crore have been built, over 5000 hotels have opened, and 1013 new startups have been launched, most of which are led by local women, he emphasised, adding that Kashmir is now rapidly advancing towards development.