Islamabad: Days after the Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday made the first public remarks on the tragic incident. Sharif said that Pakistan is ready for a “neutral, transparent and credible investigation” in the Pahalgam attack.
He made these remarks while addressing a graduation ceremony at the Pakistan Military Academy in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Kakul.
"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 Pakistan PM said as reported by NDTV.
On April 22, a group of five to six terrorists killed 28 people at Baisaran meadows near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir. Since the abrogation of Article 370, it is the worst terror attack on civilians. Among the deceased were 27 tourists and a local pony guide.
Hours after the attack, Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) offshoot The Resistance Front (TRF) claimed responsibility for the attack. However, when tensions escalated between India and Pakistan, the terror group denied its role in the massacre.
"TRF unequivocally denies any involvement in the Pahalgam incident. Any attribution of this act to TRF is false, hasty," the terror outfit said in a statement going viral on social media.
India's response To Pahalgam Attack:
On Wednesday, New Delhi announced five-point sanctions against Pakistan, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. The announcement was made by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri during a press conference after the high-level Cabinet Committee on Security or CCS meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
1) The Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 has been held in abeyance with immediate effect until Pakistan credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.
2) The integrated checkpost Attari has been closed. Those who have crossed over with valid endorsements may return through that route before 1st May 2025.
3) Pakistani nationals are not permitted to travel to India under the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme (SVES) visas. Any SVES visas issued in the past to Pakistani nationals are deemed cancelled. Any Pakistani national currently in India under SVES visa has 48 hours to leave India.
4) The Defence, Military, Naval, and Air Advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi are declared persona non grata. They have a week to leave India.
5) India withdrew its own Defence, Navy and Air advisors from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. These posts in the respective High Commissions are deemed annulled.
After India's sanctions, Sharif also convened an emergency National Security Committee meeting. Pakistan termed the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty as an "act of war".
