In the aftermath of the deadly terror attack near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, which resulted in the deaths of at least 26 to 28 people and left dozens injured, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif categorically denied any Pakistani involvement.

Speaking to Pakistani media, Asif asserted that Pakistan has “no connection” to the incident, describing the violence as the result of “home-grown” movements and internal “revolutions” within various Indian states, including Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland, Chhattisgarh, and Manipur.

He argued that these regions have witnessed local uprisings against the Indian government, and attributed the attack to such internal unrest rather than any cross-border influence.

Asif further emphasized that Pakistan rejects terrorism in all its forms and does not support targeting civilians, stating, “We do not support terrorism in any form, and locals should not be a target for terrorists.”

He also suggested that India often finds it convenient to blame Pakistan for its domestic challenges, while reiterating that Pakistan’s national policy does not allow the targeting of non-combatants. In his comments, Asif also accused India of sponsoring unrest within Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, and claimed that Islamabad has provided evidence of such activities on multiple occasions.

Pakistan’s foreign ministry echoed Asif’s stance, expressing concern and condolences for the loss of lives but notably stopping short of labeling the incident as an act of terrorism or issuing a formal condemnation. The ministry’s statement focused on sympathy for the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery, without directly addressing the nature of the attack.

On the Indian side, there has been no official statement directly blaming Pakistan-based terrorists for the attack as of yet. However, Indian officials reportedly remain unconvinced by Pakistan’s denial, with early investigations suggesting the possible involvement of foreign militants in the assault.

The incident, which targeted tourists at Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam, has been described as one of the deadliest attacks on civilians in Kashmir in nearly two decades, prompting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cut short an overseas visit and return to India to oversee the response.

The attack and subsequent statements come against the backdrop of severely strained India-Pakistan relations, particularly since India revoked Jammu and Kashmir’s special status in August 2019. Since then, diplomatic ties have been downgraded and both nations have frequently traded accusations over unrest in the region.

Pakistan’s official position is a complete denial of involvement in the Pahalgam attack, framing the violence as a result of India’s internal issues, while India has yet to officially respond but reportedly harbours scepticism about Pakistan’s claims.

HT News