Urges India to Present Evidence of Alleged Pakistani Involvement in Pahalgam Attack
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday urged India to share concrete evidence with the international community if it claims Pakistan was involved in the recent Pahalgam attack.
Addressing a joint press conference alongside Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and other cabinet members, Dar stated that Pakistan possesses intelligence confirming the arrival of armed foreigners in Srinagar, allegedly supported by Indian security agencies.
“These individuals were not only brought into Srinagar with weapons, but are being actively facilitated by Indian intelligence services,” Dar claimed, adding that they were attempting to export improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
The press conference followed an urgent meeting of Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC), which earlier issued a stark warning that any unilateral diversion of Pakistan’s water share under the Indus Waters Treaty would be treated as an act of war.
India’s Allegations Called ‘False Flag Operation’
The press briefing came in the wake of India’s decision to unilaterally suspend the decades-old water-sharing treaty and impose a series of diplomatic restrictions on Pakistan, following a deadly attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) that claimed the lives of 26 civilians, including a Nepali national.
India has blamed Pakistan for the attack — a charge Islamabad strongly denied, terming it a “false flag operation.”
“If India has proof of our involvement, it must present it to the world,” Dar said. “Making accusations without evidence only escalates tensions.”
He recalled Pakistan’s response during the 2019 Balakot crisis, referencing the capture of an Indian Air Force pilot as evidence that Pakistan would respond decisively to any military misadventure.
Dar also warned that Pakistan would consider suspending the Simla Agreement if India continues to take unilateral actions, particularly in violation of international agreements like the Indus Waters Treaty.
“We will consult our allies and update the World Bank on India’s actions,” he added. “Pakistan is fully prepared for any scenario.”
He confirmed that the decisions of the NSC would be formally communicated to the Indian envoy through a diplomatic demarche.
Defence Minister Slams Modi as ‘Certified Terrorist Ruler’
Speaking at the same press conference, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif launched a scathing attack on Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a “certified terrorist ruler” — a label he said no other head of government globally shares.
Asif accused India of harbouring leaders of banned terrorist groups, including the TTP and BLA, and claimed that India was planning future terrorist incidents inside Pakistan.
“If our people are targeted, Indian citizens will not be safe either,” Asif warned. “We are ready to respond to terrorism with full force.”
He reiterated that Pakistan would not tolerate any threat to its sovereignty and called on the international community to take note of India’s escalating rhetoric and destabilizing actions in the region.
