New Delhi: Days after Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif called for a “neutral” probe into the ghastly Pahalgam terror attack, Islamabad on Sunday reiterated its demand for an investigation by a third country. The attack on unsuspecting tourists left 26 people dead, making it the deadliest assault on civilians since the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistani defence minister Khawaja Asif, in an interview with Russian state-run RIA Novosti, proposed that Russia, China, or Western nations form an impartial investigation team to probe the incident. “Let an international team find out whether India or Modi is lying or telling the truth,” Asif said, questioning the basis of India’s accusation that Pakistan was involved in the attack.
Shehbaz Sharif backs Asif
Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif has also supported the call for an international inquiry, Asif added. “Let’s find out who is the culprit and the perpetrator of this incident in India, in Kashmir, talk or empty statements have no effect,” he said.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has formally taken over the investigation into the attack, filing a case and deploying multiple teams to collect evidence and interrogate eyewitnesses. The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the attack.
Intelligence agencies have pointed to Pakistan’s direct or indirect support for the group. Islamabad, however, has dismissed TRF’s role and labelled claims of its links to Pakistan as baseless.
China endorses Pak’s viewpoint
Meanwhile, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi has endorsed Pakistan’s demand for an impartial probe. According to China’s state-affiliated Global Times, Wang expressed support for a swift and unbiased investigation during a phone call with Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister Mohammad Ishaq Dar. Wang also urged both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and work toward de-escalating tensions.
The United States has taken a neutral stance. Commenting on the tensions, President Donald Trump said Washington would not intervene. “There have been tensions on that border for 1,500 years. I’m sure they’ll figure it out one way or the other,” Trump said.
Analysts criticise Pakistani leaders’ contradictory statements
Meanwhile, analysts have criticised Pakistani leaders’ contradictory statements over the attack. Independent US analyst Andrew Korybko has noted that while Ishaq Dar speculated the attackers could be “freedom fighters”, Khawaja Asif suggested the possibility of a “false flag operation” by India. Korybko said these conflicting narratives undermined Pakistan’s credibility and indicated an attempted cover-up.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his monthly radio program “Mann Ki Baat” on Sunday, vowed that the perpetrators and conspirators of the Pahalgam attack would be met with the “harshest response”.
