Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has stated that Islamabad is willing to participate in a neutral investigation into the incident. His comments come as India takes strong retaliatory measures and vows severe punishment for those responsible for the attack, signaling a rapidly deteriorating situation between the two nations.
Pakistan expresses readiness for independent inquiry
Speaking at a military academy event in Abbottabad, PM Shehbaz Sharif emphasized Pakistan’s openness to any “neutral, transparent and credible” investigation into the Pahalgam attack. Stressing the nation’s preparedness, Sharif asserted that Pakistani forces are fully capable of defending the country’s sovereignty and integrity, referencing their “measured yet resolute” response to India’s 2019 Balakot airstrike. His statement aligned with remarks from Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif, who earlier told the New York Times that Islamabad was ready to cooperate with international inspectors for an independent probe.
Meanwhile, the attack at Baisaran meadow, near Pahalgam in Kashmir, left 26 civilians dead, marking one of the deadliest terror incidents in recent years. Following the tragedy, India swiftly suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, closed the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari, scaled down Pakistani diplomatic presence, and ordered Pakistani nationals who had entered through Attari to leave by May 1.
India’s strong reaction and PM Modi’s warning
In response to the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a stern warning, pledging that India would relentlessly pursue the terrorists and their backers. Speaking from Bihar, Modi declared that India would not rest until every perpetrator and conspirator behind the attack was punished. “We will pursue them to the ends of the Earth,” he vowed, adding that the spirit of India would never be broken by acts of terrorism.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Asif accused India of using the attack as a pretext to withdraw from the Indus Waters Treaty for “domestic political purposes,” criticizing New Delhi for acting “without any proof and investigation.” He warned that escalating conflict could bring disaster to the region, underscoring Islamabad’s desire to avoid further deterioration in ties despite the worsening situation.
