Dar raises six key questions over Pahalgam incident

Islamabad: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has stated that the entire region is at risk due to India’s irresponsible actions.

While addressing a press conference alongside DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry regarding the rising tensions between Pakistan and India and Indian provocations along the Line of Control (LoC), Ishaq Dar emphasized that the purpose of the conference was to update the public on the current situation.

Ishaq Dar expressed sorrow over the loss of lives in the Pahalgam incident, stating that Pakistan condemns all forms of terrorism and the killing of innocent civilians. He mentioned that the United Nations Security Council also condemned the attack, and Pakistan, being a victim of terrorism itself, strongly condemns such acts.

Dar added that Pakistan is in constant contact with the international community regarding this threat and accused India of deliberately escalating tensions in the region. He alleged that India is involved in terrorism in several countries, including Pakistan, and advised India to focus on its internal issues instead of pointing fingers at others. He further criticized India’s reckless behavior and actions following the Pahalgam incident.

He emphasized that Pakistan is not involved in the Pahalgam incident nor benefits from it. Pakistan has offered to cooperate in a neutral investigation into the incident. Dar also questioned why such incidents occur in India whenever an important personality visits, pointing out that these incidents are often staged as part of India’s internal political narrative.

Regarding the Indus Waters Treaty, Ishaq Dar made it clear that India cannot unilaterally suspend the agreement, as there is no provision for such a suspension. He warned that any attempt to block water would be considered an act of war, and the entire region would face instability as a result. He assured that while Pakistan will not escalate tensions, it will respond forcefully if provoked by India.

Dar also pointed out that water is a lifeline for Pakistan’s 240 million people and urged the world to question the motives behind India’s recent actions.

The Deputy Prime Minister further questioned how, despite the difficult terrain, an FIR was filed within 10 minutes of the Pahalgam incident, raising suspicions about the speed with which the incident was processed.

Ishaq Dar raised six questions to the international community regarding the Pahalgam incident:

Is it not time to hold India accountable for the killings of civilians, including those in Pakistan and worldwide?

Shouldn’t there be a distinction made between the sympathy for the victims in Pahalgam and India’s aggression?

Is India not conducting a propaganda campaign to justify military aggression against a country?

Will India’s disregard for international law not worsen the situation in the region?

Should the international community not condemn India for its religious intolerance and Islamophobia?

Are we aware that India’s aggressive actions could potentially lead to a dangerous conflict between nuclear-armed powers in the region?

DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated that they will focus on the facts of the incident, not on the allegations.

He highlighted that the location of the Pahalgam incident is 230 kilometers away from the Line of Control (LoC), and questioned how it was possible for someone to reach there within 10 minutes, given the difficult terrain. He also pointed out that India’s narrative claims this was a terrorist attack, with accusations that Muslims were involved in the firing on Hindus. He asked why this narrative is being pushed by India.

The DG ISPR further stated that Indian media had accused Pakistani agencies of orchestrating the incident. The Indian accusations began shortly after the incident, with a false narrative being created based on a video from a zip line operator. Indian media quickly blamed Pakistan, and similar accusations were made following the Jaffar Express incident as well. He explained that the same specific Indian accounts predict and report attacks before they happen, claiming to know when and where an attack would occur, and then covering it extensively. These are the questions that Pakistan is considering, and the world is also taking notice of them.

The DG ISPR concluded that the Pahalgam incident is being used as a pretext to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty.