Islamabad: Pakistan PM Shahbaz Sharif On Saturday, he expressed his country’s desire to participate in a neutral, transparent and reliable investigation in Tuesday’s terrorist attack in Pahgam, while criticizing New Delhi for leveling “baseless allegations” against Islamabad.
Addressing the graduate cadets at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakal, Sharif’s speech took a magnificent tone as confirming Pakistan’s military readiness. He said, “No one should not live under any false pretense. Our armed forces are fully capable of and are ready to protect the country against any misunderstanding, as displayed with our strong reaction to India in February 2019,” he said referring to Pakistan’s vengeance after the Pulwama attack. Emphasizing that “peace is our priority,” he warned that it should not be wrong for weakness.
Jammu -Kashmir CM Umar Abdullah questioned the offer of Sharif to attend any “neutral and transparent” investigation in the Pahgam massacre. Omar said, “What he said before? He said that India has done this. They have already accused us. Now it is difficult to say something else.”
Sharif criticized what he said to India’s “Sada Dosha Khel”, saying that the cycle of allegations should “come to a grind”. “The recent tragedy in Pahalgam is still another example of this cycle,” he said. “With its role as a responsible country, Pakistan is open to participate in any neutral, transparent and reliable investigation.”
One of the deadliest attack in Jammu and Kashmir since the 2019 Pulwama bombing, 26 people killed – most of the tourists. It has rapidly stressed between two neighbors.
India, pointing to the Pakistan-based link, cited “technical intelligence” and “reliable information”, in which some officials have alleged the participation of the country’s detective agency ISI.
Tension has been further enhanced by the recent suspension of the 1960 Indus Water Treaty Pahgam attackSharif warned that any attempt to block or turn the water part of Pakistan would provoke the “full-power response”, which is calling water a “important national interest”.
By joining volatile rhetoric, Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khwaja Asif earlier warned that any Indian military action could trigger “all-out war”, referring to the nuclear capabilities of the two countries. Asif also accused India of using an attack for domestic political gains, a claim that has spoiled diplomatic strains.
Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s support for the rights of self -determination of Kashmiri people, calling Kashmir a “jugular vein” of his country. He said, “As the world’s border state against terrorism, we have suffered heavy losses,” he said, “pushed Pakistan back against the narratives depicted as a sponsor of terrorism.”
The international community is closely monitoring the situation, with growing concerns that miscols can give rise to a widespread conflict. While Sharif’s speech estimated strength for the domestic audience, his proposal of a neutral investigation indicated a cautious openness for de-skeleton at the time of increased risk, said political experts.
(With input from Naseer Gani in Srinagar)
