The deadly terrorist attack that occurred on April 22 in Pahalgam, Kashmir, which claimed the lives of around 28 people, has once again escalated tensions between India and Pakistan. Following the incident, the United States urged Pakistan to cooperate with India in taking action against the terrorists believed to be hiding in Pakistan. U.S. Vice President JD Vance expressed hope that Pakistan would work with India to prevent this attack from escalating into a larger regional conflict.
However, true to its pattern, Pakistan has denied any involvement in the attack. Islamabad has instead called for an “impartial” investigation, even as Indian security agencies have identified three attackers—two of whom are Pakistani nationals, and one a local Kashmiri. Reports suggest that the mastermind behind the attack is Hashim Musa, a former soldier of the Pakistani Army’s Para Forces.
Pakistan’s Double Standards on Terrorism
Pakistan has a long history of first denying its involvement in terrorist incidents and then acknowledging its role much later. Whether it was the Mumbai attacks or the Kargil conflict, Islamabad has repeatedly made U-turns.
Even former Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Defence Minister Khawaja Asif have admitted to Pakistan’s complex past with terrorism. In an interview, Asif stated that Pakistan had done the “dirty work” for the U.S. and the West for decades, and had paid a heavy price for it. He admitted that had Pakistan not joined the war against the Soviet Union or post-9/11 operations, its record might have remained clean.
The Mumbai Attack: A Shift in Pakistan’s Stance
In the aftermath of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Pakistan initially denied any connection to the lone captured terrorist, Mohammad Ajmal Kasab. However, under mounting Indian pressure, Pakistani newspaper Dawn reported in January 2009 that Kasab was indeed a resident of Faridkot in Pakistan’s Punjab province. Later, then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif openly acknowledged that terrorist groups operating from Pakistan were involved in attacks against India. He even questioned whether Pakistan should allow such non-state actors to cross borders and carry out attacks like those in Mumbai.
The Kargil War and Pakistan’s Reversal
During the 1999 Kargil conflict, Pakistan maintained that only “freedom fighters” were involved in the fighting. But years later, former Army Chief Pervez Musharraf admitted in his book In The Line of Fire that the Pakistani military had direct involvement in the conflict. More recently, Pakistan’s current Army Chief General Asim Munir publicly confirmed the army’s role in the Kargil war—marking the first such open admission.
The Osama Bin Laden Episode
Pakistan consistently denied knowledge of Osama bin Laden’s presence in its territory. Yet, in 2011, the U.S. launched a secret operation inside Abbottabad, Pakistan, and killed the Al-Qaeda leader. Despite the obvious implications, then Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani dismissed it as a “global intelligence failure” and claimed Pakistan had no prior information.
Why India Should Not Expect Honest Cooperation
History shows a repeated pattern of denial, delay, and eventual admission from Pakistan when it comes to terrorism. Whether it was Mumbai, Kargil, or Abbottabad, Pakistan initially rejected all allegations, only to acknowledge the facts later. Given this track record, expecting sincere cooperation from Pakistan in the Pahalgam terror attack case is unrealistic. Pakistan’s current posture may simply be a diplomatic move to deflect international pressure.
India must continue strengthening its national security policies and adopt a clear and firm stance to prevent such terror attacks from recurring.
