Islamabad has launched a series of diplomatic countermeasures in response to accusations from New Delhi linking Pakistan to a deadly assault in Indian-administered Kashmir. Pakistani officials are demanding tangible proof to support India’s claims of involvement in the incident.
The attack, which took place in the scenic region of Pahalgam on Tuesday, resulted in the deaths of at least 26 individuals. It has been described as the most devastating strike in the area in the past 25 years. Responsibility was reportedly claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a group believed to have ties to the Pakistan-based militant organization Lashkar-e-Taiba.
In a strong statement during a Thursday address, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to relentlessly pursue those responsible. India has since taken a series of punitive steps, including withdrawing from a longstanding water-sharing treaty and reinforcing the closure of its primary border with Pakistan.
Reacting to these developments, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif halted work on a major canal project. His office released a statement calling India’s recent actions “one-sided, baseless, politically driven, and lacking legal justification.” Sharif expressed sympathy over the loss of lives but emphasized that linking Pakistan to the violence without credible evidence was illogical and unfounded.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, speaking to Al Jazeera, also dismissed the Indian government’s accusations, firmly stating that Pakistan has no involvement with militant operations in the disputed region.
Further escalations from Islamabad include the upcoming shutdown of the Wagah border, effective after April 30, and the expulsion of Indian nationals—with the exception of Sikh pilgrims—within 48 hours. Visa services for Indian citizens under the SAARC framework have been suspended, and Islamabad has requested a reduction in Indian diplomatic staff. Additionally, Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian flights and frozen all bilateral trade.
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