New Delhi, April 23 (IANS) In the wake of the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has cut short her official US and Peru visit and will return to be with her people in this difficult and tragic time, the Ministry of Finance said on Wednesday.

FM Sitharaman embarked on an official visit to the US and Peru on April 20 to showcase India’s economic dynamism, as the country prepares a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) with the US.

“Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. @nsitharaman is cutting short her official visit to the USA-Peru,” said the Ministry in a post on X social media platform.

“She is taking the earliest available flight back to India to be with our people in this difficult and tragic time,” the ministry further stated.

The Finance Minister said in a post on X: “Heart-breaking news from Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir. No words to express grief. I condemn the terrorist act”.

“Condolences to all affected families and friends of the deceased. Sincere prayers for the injured to recover fast. Reiterate the words of PM @narendramodi, “Those behind this heinous act will be brought to justice...they will not be spared! Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger,” she wrote.

The brutal attack unfolded on Tuesday in the scenic Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, where terrorists reportedly emerged from dense forest areas and opened indiscriminate fire on a group of unsuspecting tourists.

Initial Intelligence inputs point towards the Pakistan-based terror outfit, The Resistance Front, a known offshoot of the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba, as the perpetrators of the assault. Security agencies have intensified measures across J&K in response to the attack. A high alert has been sounded, and troops have been increased in vulnerable locations.