ISLAMABAD (National Times)– Amid heightened tensions with India following the devastating terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stated that Islamabad is willing to participate in a neutral and transparent investigation into the incident that left 26 people dead.
“Pakistan is open to participating in any neutral, transparent, and credible investigation,” Sharif said while addressing a military academy event in Abbottabad. His remarks appear aimed at easing diplomatic tensions as India has accused Pakistani elements of playing a role in the April 22 attack near Baisaran.
Despite offering cooperation, Sharif also sent a strong message regarding Pakistan’s defense posture. He said the country’s armed forces are “fully capable and prepared to defend Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” citing the military’s response to India’s Balakot airstrike in February 2019 as evidence of that resolve.
Sharif’s remarks were echoed by Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, who earlier told the New York Times that Pakistan was open to working with international inspectors on any investigation related to the attack. He further claimed India’s actions post-attack were politically motivated.
In the aftermath of the attack, India has taken several firm steps, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down the Attari land border checkpoint, reducing diplomatic ties, and asking Pakistani nationals in India to exit by May 1.
Speaking to the NYT, Asif criticized New Delhi’s response, saying India had used the Pahalgam attack as a “pretext for punitive actions without proper investigation or evidence.” He warned that escalating the situation could prove disastrous. “We do not want this war to flare up. If it does, it could cause disaster for the region,” he said.
The attack in Baisaran, one of the worst since the abrogation of Article 370, claimed 26 lives, most of them unarmed civilians. India has since vowed to intensify counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir and beyond.
