Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, in a press conference alongside DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif, gave a clear response to India, stating that Pakistan has no connection to the Pahalgam incident.
The minister’s remarks come amidst heightened tensions following the Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which Dar described as part of India's politically motivated and provocative actions threatening regional peace and stability.
In a joint press briefing with DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar strongly voiced Pakistan’s serious concerns over India’s recent actions and statements following the April 22 Pahalgam attack. He emphasized that Pakistan firmly condemns attacks on innocent civilians but also highlighted that, as a country that has suffered deeply from terrorism, Pakistan understands the pain such violence causes.
Dar expressed sorrow for the victims and confirmed that Pakistan had extended its condolences while also engaging with the United Nations Security Council to ensure strong international condemnation of the incident. He criticized India for trying to link Pakistan to the attack without any evidence, calling it a deliberate and baseless attempt to shift attention from India’s internal failures and ongoing human rights violations in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
He accused India of glorifying state-sponsored killings and carrying out terrorism in Pakistan and beyond. Dar reminded that Pakistan has paid a heavy price in the fight against terrorism, with over 80,000 lives lost and more than $150 billion in economic damage.
While clarifying that Pakistan does not seek to escalate tensions, Dar warned that any aggressive action from India would be met with a strong and decisive response. He urged the international community to take India’s behavior seriously, as it threatens regional peace and stability.
Dar also questioned the timing of India’s accusations, suggesting they were aimed at diverting attention from India’s domestic problems, particularly the unresolved Kashmir issue, which he identified as the key source of instability in South Asia.
He concluded by calling for an independent international investigation into the Pahalgam incident, as proposed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, and rejected India’s long-standing pattern of falsely accusing Pakistan of terrorism for political purposes.
The foreign minister also voiced alarm over the Islamophobic rhetoric being propagated by India against Kashmiris and Indian Muslims, warning that such divisive narratives would only further destabilize the region.
On India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), Dar condemned the move as illegal, pointing out that the treaty cannot be amended or terminated without mutual consent, as clearly outlined in its dispute resolution framework.
