1 week Ago
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said Pakistan was open to any “neutral and transparent” investigation into the Pahalgam attack in India-occupied Kashmir this week. The April 22 attack in Pahalgam saw 26 people, mostly tourists, killed in what is being described as the deadliest armed attack in the disputed Himalayan region since the year 2000. Responsibility for the attack was allegedly claimed by the hitherto unknown The Resistance Front (TRF).
Since the incident, the nuclear-armed nations have unleashed a raft of measures against each other, with India unilaterally suspending the critical Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and Pakistan retaliating by threatening to put the Simla Agreement in abeyance and closing its airspace for Indian flights. India has implied cross-border linkages of the attackers, while Pakistan strongly denied any involvement. Addressing a passing-out parade at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, PM Shehbaz said: “The recent tragedy in Pahalgam is yet another example of this perpetual blame game, which must come to a grinding halt.
Continuing with its role as a responsible country, Pakistan is open to participating in any neutral, transparent and credible investigation.” The premier criticised India for continuing with a “pattern of exploitation, levelling baseless allegations and false accusations without credible investigation or verifiable evidence”. Speaking on India’s recent move to suspend the IWT, PM Shehbaz said: “Water is a vital national interest of Pakistan, our lifeline [.
..] Let there be no doubt at all [that] its availability will be safeguarded at all costs and under all circumstances.
“Therefore, any attempt to stop, reduce or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan under the Indus Waters Treaty would be responded to with full force and might. Nobody should remain under any kind of false impression and confusion,” the prime minister warned. “Our valiant armed forces remain fully capable and prepared to defend the country’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity against any misadventures, as clearly demonstrated by our measured yet resolute response to India’s reckless incursion in February 2019,” he added, referring to ‘Operation Swift Retort’.
Expressing his “fullest confidence” in the armed forces, PM Shehbaz said, “This nation of 240 million people stands united by and behind our brave armed forces and ready to safeguard every inch of our homeland Pakistan.” He stressed: “Peace is our preference but must not be construed as our weakness.” During his address, the prime minister also reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination.
“Let there be no doubt, Pakistan shall continue to support the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people till they achieve their rights through their great struggle and sacrifices,” he added. Hours later, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi echoed the PM’s demands during a press conference. “There is Indian involvement in terrorism in Pakistan,” Naqvi said.
“Pakistan is making progress in terms of the economy and stability, so an incident like this (Pahalgam attack) harms us.” He warned that, “If anyone tries to harm us or our rights, all 240 million people are ready to fight to their last breath.” Naqvi stated that Pakistan condemned terrorism in all of its forms and added that the country had done so at every international forum.
Reading out a statement on the Indian stance in English, the interior minister officially demanded a “transparent and impartial investigation” on the Pahalgam attack. “Given the current situation and historical context, Pakistan has serious reservations regarding Indian credibility in conducting a fair inquiry,” he read. “We call for a neutral and independent body to lead this inquiry.
Pakistan is fully prepared to cooperate with any neutral investigators to ensure that the truth is uncovered and justice is served,” Naqvi said. The interior minister added that while Pakistan was committed to peace and stability, it “will not compromise on its sovereignty”. Naqvi said that Pakistan wanted the truth to come out and to “expose this drama”.
“The ball is now in India’s court,” he said. Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz once again raised Pakistan’s concerns about cross-border terrorism with Afghanistan, emphasising the desire for improved ties. “It is our earnest desire to live in peace with them (Afghanistan) for all times to come.
Unfortunately, despite our best and sincere efforts, terrorist activities continue to emanate from Afghan territory,” he said during his address in Kakul. “As the world’s frontline state against terrorism, we have endured immense loss, with our 90,000 casualties and economic losses beyond imagination, exceeding $600 billion,” he highlighted. “[.
..] we would not tolerate any kind of terrorism, of any hue and colour, and that has been demonstrated beyond any ray of doubt,” the premier added.
As ties plummeted in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack, there were reports of Indian and Pakistani troops exchanging gunfire for a second straight day on Saturday across the Line of Control (LoC). Yesterday, Syed Ashfaq Gilani, a government official in Azad Kashmir, had told AFP that troops exchanged fire along the line separating the two countries. “There was no firing on the civilian population,” he added.
There was no immediate comment from the Pakistani military. India’s army confirmed there had been limited firing of small arms. According to Reuters, the Indian army today claimed its troops responded to “unprovoked” small arms fire from multiple Pakistan Army posts that started around midnight on Friday along the 740-kilometre LoC.
No casualties were reported from the Indian side, it said. Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir has said that the nation’s forefathers made countless sacrifices for the country’s creation and the military stands fully prepared to defend it. Speaking at a passing out parade ceremony at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, General Munir emphasised that Muslims are distinct from Hindus in all aspects of life – religion, customs, traditions, thinking, and aspirations.
“The two-nation theory was based on the fundamental belief that Muslims and Hindus are two separate nations, not one,” the army chief said. He added that Pakistan’s existence is the result of an unparalleled struggle and sacrifices, and it remains the military’s duty to safeguard it. “Our forefathers gave immense sacrifices for the creation of Pakistan.
We know how to defend it,” he said..
