ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday strongly rejected Indian allegations linking Pakistan to the Pahalgam incident, warning that any hostile move from India would be met with a forceful response, regardless of the consequences.
Speaking during the Senate session, the Deputy Prime Minister said, “If our hands weren’t clean, we wouldn’t have offered transparent investigations to the world. We have nothing to do with the Pahalgam incident, but if India acts, we won’t calculate losses — we’ll respond in kind.”
He said DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry had already laid out undeniable evidence before the nation, while India had failed to provide a single credible proof.
“Even Indian ministers are now demanding Modi’s resignation,” he remarked.
Earlier today, the DG ISPR presented irrefutable evidence revealing India’s involvement in undertaking cross-border terrorism inside Pakistan.
India running terrorism network in Pakistan
The DG ISPR was addressing a press conference in Rawalpindi, days after a deadly gun attack in the Pahalgam area of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
The military’s spokesman revealed that a full-fledged Indian terror network has been uncovered within Pakistan.
The military’s spokesman said that today’s briefing was meant to expose how India is actively involved in spreading terrorism in Pakistan. “India, as a state, is engaged in terrorism,” he asserted.
The DG ISPR said that seven days had passed since the Pahalgam incident, but so far, India had not provided a “shred of evidence” for its “baseless allegations” against Pakistan.
He dismissed India’s accusations of terrorism against Pakistan as baseless and countered that New Delhi is, in fact, operating terrorist networks inside Pakistan.
Ishaq Dar said that he had personally spoken to foreign ministers of several friendly countries to counter Indian propaganda and share Pakistan’s stance.
He said nations like Turkiye and China had assured Pakistan of their support.
“We are not aggressors, but we will not stay silent either. If anyone tries to harm us, they will get a strong reply,” the deputy PM said, adding that if India tampers with Pakistan’s water rights, it would be considered an act of war.
He also announced that Pakistan would soon compile a detailed dossier to present to the international community. “India couldn’t even prove its Pulwama claims — let alone this one,” he said.
Pakistan PM briefs UN chief on South Asia tensions
Earlier, Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a telephone conversation with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and discussed the tensions in South Asia.
The Prime Minister affirmed that Pakistan condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, while highlighting the significant sacrifices rendered by the country in the global war against terror.
While rejecting Indian accusations against Pakistan as baseless, PM Shehbaz categorically rejected any attempt to link Pakistan with the Pahalgam incident and reiterated his call for a transparent and neutral investigation into the incident.
PM Shehbaz expressed serious concerns over India’s attempts to delegitimize the Kashmiri freedom struggle by using the bogey of “terrorism”, as well as its widely documented state-sponsored terrorism in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Pahalgam crisis
Tensions escalated between Pakistan and India after gunmen attacked local tourists in the Pahalgam area of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) on 22 April, killing 26 people and injuring 17.
India swiftly blamed Pakistan for the attack without presenting any credible evidence. Pakistan condemned the attack and strongly rejected the Indian government’s baseless accusations.
A day after the Pahalgam incident on 23 April, India’s Cabinet Committee on Security approved measures including the closure of the Wagah-Attari border crossing and the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.
In response, Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC) met on 24 April and warned that any attempt by India to block water flows into Pakistan would be considered an act of war.
The Pakistan Foreign Office on Friday said India was in no position to make a unilateral decision on the Indus Waters Treaty which is of critical importance for Pakistan’s water security and economy.
Foreign Office Spokesperson, Shafqat Ali Khan at his weekly media briefing in Islamabad said the unlawful, unilateral, and irresponsible Indian announcement threatens the very foundations of the entire edifice of interstate cooperation and smooth implementation of the treaties.
Pakistan’s National Security Committee also announced to closure of the Wagah border crossing with India.
On April 25, the Senate of Pakistan unanimously passed a resolution, rejecting India’s allegations as baseless and politically motivated.
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said Islamabad was open to any “neutral and transparent” investigation into the Pahalgam attack. However, New Delhi has yet to respond to Pakistan’s offer.
“The recent tragedy in Pahalgam is yet another example of this perpetual blame game, which must come to a grinding halt,” PM Shehbaz said.
Pakistan has consistently maintained that it has no interest in escalating conflict but would defend itself if attacked.
Earlier on Monday, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that the country was fully prepared to respond with “full force” if India initiated any military action.
Speaking to a private television channel, Asif said, “We want India’s lies on this issue to be exposed,” Asif said, adding that Pakistan had no desire for confrontation but would not hesitate to protect its sovereignty.
The situation deteriorated further when the Pakistani High Commission in London was vandalised by Indian miscreants on 26 April.
According to the Metropolitan Police, two persons were arrested in connection with the vandalism, which caused property damage including broken windows and paint attacks.
Pakistan’s Federal Minister for Information, Attaullah Tarar, condemned the incident, claiming that Indian state institutions were behind the vandalism.
International calls for restraint have grown. China urged both India and Pakistan to “exercise restraint” and “properly handle relevant differences through dialogue and consultation,” according to Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Guo Jiakun.
Guo reaffirmed China’s support for a fair investigation into the Pahalgam attack and stressed the importance of peaceful coexistence for regional stability.
China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during a phone call with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, reiterated Beijing’s consistent support for Pakistan’s counterterrorism efforts and its legitimate security concerns.
The United States has also urged caution. “This is an evolving situation and we are monitoring developments closely,” a State Department spokesperson said. “The United States encourages all parties to work together towards a responsible resolution.”
