Pakistani PM offers support for neutral probe into Pahalgam attack Slams Indian allegations

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on April 26 that Pakistan was open to any "neutral and transparent" investigation into the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir, rejecting accusations of Pakistani involvement.

The attack in Pahalgam, described as the deadliest armed incident in the disputed Himalayan region since 2000, resulted in the deaths of 26 people, mostly tourists, Caliber.Az reports, citing Pakistani media.

Responsibility for the assault was allegedly claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a previously unknown group.

In the aftermath, relations between India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed nations, rapidly deteriorated. India unilaterally suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), a critical agreement brokered by the World Bank in 1960, while Pakistan retaliated by threatening to suspend the Simla Agreement and close its airspace to Indian flights. India also implied that there were cross-border links to the attackers, claims that Pakistan has firmly denied.

Speaking at a passing-out parade at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, Prime Minister 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."

He criticised India for pursuing a consistent strategy of blaming Pakistan without evidence, stating: "The pattern of exploitation, levelling baseless allegations and false accusations without credible investigation or verifiable evidence" was ongoing.

Reaffirming Pakistan's defensive readiness, he said: "Our valiant armed forces remain fully capable and prepared to defend the country’s sovereignty."

Touching on the broader Kashmir issue, Shehbaz emphasised its enduring significance: "I also need to underscore the importance of Kashmir, as the Founder of the Nation Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah rightly said, Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan. Unfortunately, this globally recognised dispute remains unresolved despite multiple UN resolutions."

He declared: "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."

His remarks echoed comments made a day earlier by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who, in an interview with the New York Times, said Pakistan was "ready to cooperate" with "any investigation which is conducted by international inspectors."

Meanwhile, tensions on the ground escalated further. Reports indicated that Indian and Pakistani troops exchanged gunfire for a second consecutive day on April 26 across the Line of Control (LoC), worsening the volatile situation following the Pahalgam attack.

India’s decision on April 23 to suspend the IWT, a rare act given its historical endurance through previous wars, marked a serious escalation. In response, Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC) announced a series of retaliatory measures on April 24, cutting off all trade, bilateral pacts, and flights to and from India. The NSC also urged India to "refrain from its reflexive blame game and cynical, staged, managed exploitation of incidents like Pahalgam to further its narrow political agenda."

As tensions between the two nations mounted, international calls for restraint grew louder. The United Nations urged both sides to avoid further escalation, while Saudi Arabia and Iran offered to mediate the dispute. US President Donald Trump expressed confidence, saying he believed India and Pakistan would "get it figured out."

By Tamilla Hasanova