Pakistan's response to India is “responsible and measured”: PM Shehbaz Sharif, seeking neutral investigation
He continued to reiterate Pakistan's long-term position on terrorism. “Pakistan has been condemning terrorism in all its forms,” he said.
However, Sharif rejected the charges in New Delhi. “India failed to share any evidence and mistakenly tried to connect Pakistan to the Pahargam attack,” he claimed.
He also claimed that India did not respond to the call for a Neutral International enquiry in Islamabad. “India has not responded to Pakistan's proposals for a credible, transparent and neutral international investigation to determine the facts behind the Pahalgam incident,” he said.
Sharif said Pakistan will fully cooperate with such an investigation and welcomes Turkiye's participation. He further stressed: “Türkiye’s support for Pakistan reflects the historic, entrenched and time-tested brotherly relationship between the two countries.”
Pahalgam Attack: Kashmir's Deadly Strike
On April 22, a group of gunmen opened fire on civilians at Baisaran Meadows near Pahalgam, a popular tourist destination in Jamu and Kashmir. The attackers are believed to be six foreign militants. Survivors of the attack said the gunmen separated the men from the group, asked about their religion and then asked them to recite Islamic scriptures before opening the fire. The attack killed 26 civilians, including Nepal tourists. Dozens of people were injured. It marks the deadliest incident in the region since the 2019 Pulwama attack and the subsequent revocation of Article 370.
Diplomatic consequences and retaliation measures
The consequences of the Pahalgam attack have worsened the already tense relations between India and Pakistan.
India's response was to suspend the Indian Water Treaty, a long-term water-sharing agreement. It also closed the comprehensive inspection position in Attari, reduced staff on the high commissions of both countries and revoked all visas issued to Pakistani nationals. Indians were told to leave by April 30. Indian airspace is not on Pakistan Airlines either.
New Delhi insists that these moves are in response to Pakistan's continued support for cross-border terrorism.
Islamabad strike
In turn, Pakistan has taken its own set of measures. It stopped all trade with India and banned Indian aircraft from entering the airspace. Meanwhile, reports from the region also indicate a surge in border ceasefire violations, which has exacerbated tensions.
The Pakistani Defense Minister also spoke about the Water Treaty and noted that the country would “strike any structure they built” referring to India’s plan to control water flows under the treaty.
The wider standoff in the area
Others in the region have not noticed that the diplomatic deadlock has not attracted attention. The close aide to Bangladesh Nobel Prize winner Muhammad Yunus has caused new anxiety. Aides warned: “If India attacks Pakistan in Bangladesh, it will…” – This comment has been widely reported, but the public's arguments about regional security are also seen as speculative.
Back home, senior Indian politicians have begun to publicly debate the impact of the Pahargam attack and its consequences. Some, including Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut, have publicly questioned the center's strategy. “I am not a defense expert, but Prime Minister Modi's body language…” he said, suggesting a possible basis for war.
Despite speech and punitive measures, Islamabad continues to conduct a fair investigation into the attacks. The Indian government has not formally responded to the proposal.
Meanwhile, the two countries remained in a tense deadlock. At present, there are no signs of relegation – the victims of the Pahargam attack remain at the heart of a dispute that goes far beyond the grassland where the tragedy unfolds.
