Saturday, March 29, 2025
Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stated that Islamabad is ready to participate in a “neutral, transparent, and credible investigation” into the recent terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which left 26 people dead, most of them civilians. Speaking at a ceremony at the Pakistan Military Academy in Abbottabad, Sharif emphasized that Pakistan is prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity, referencing the country’s response to India’s 2019 incursion.
Sharif described the Pahalgam attack as another example of a “perpetual blame game” between India and Pakistan, calling for an end to such accusations and reiterating Pakistan’s willingness to cooperate with any neutral inquiry. His remarks follow statements from Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, who told the New York Times that Islamabad is ready to cooperate with any investigation conducted by international inspectors, but accused India of using the attack as a pretext for political purposes and for taking punitive measures “without any proof and investigation”.
The attack in Baisaran, near Pahalgam, killed 26 people, including a Nepalese national, and has triggered a series of strong responses from India. These include suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, closing the Attari land border, and reducing the presence of Pakistani diplomats in India. All Pakistani nationals who entered India via the Attari border have been asked to leave by May 1.
In response, Sharif warned that Pakistan’s armed forces remain fully capable of defending the country’s sovereignty against any misadventure. Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has vowed stern action against those responsible for the attack, promising to “identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers” and stating that India will pursue them “to the ends of the Earth”.
The situation has heightened tensions between the two countries, with both sides exchanging diplomatic and security measures in the aftermath of the attack.
