Shehbaz Sharif Reacts To Pahalgam Terror Attack

New Delhi:

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today said he his ready for a “neutral investigation” of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam where 26 people, including a Nepalese national, were gunned down. 

The terror attack, one of the deadliest since the scrapping of Article 370 in 2019, has triggered high-level diplomatic and security responses from the government against Pakistan, which has been accused of harbouring the handlers and backers of this terrorist group. 

Addressing a graduation ceremony at the Pakistan Military Academy in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Kakul, Prime Minister Sharif said that his country is open to taking part in a “credible” investigation. 

“The recent tragedy in Pahalgam is yet another example of this perpetual blame game, which must come to a grinding halt. Continuing with its role as a responsible country, Pakistan is open to participating in any neutral, transparent and credible investigation,” Mr Sharif said. 

The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy for the Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam attack. Pakistan has often been accused of harbouring and funding terror groups engaged in cross-border infiltrations. According to intelligence sources, Adil Ahmed Thoker, one of the main accused in the attack, went over to Pakistan, received military training from terror groups and infiltrated India six years later along with several Pakistani terrorists.  

“Pakistan has always condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations,” Mr Sharif added. “Pakistani armed forces remain fully capable and prepared to defend the country’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity against any misadventure.” 

Mr Sharif’s remark come a day after Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif in an interview with New York Times said that Pakistan was “ready to cooperate” with “any investigation which is conducted by international inspectors”.

Diplomatic Fallout

A Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,was convened on Wednesday to determine India’s response to the April 23 attack in Pahalgam. The CCS announced sweeping action against Pakistan, which New Delhi accuses of harbouring and supporting cross-border terrorism.

At a press briefing on Wednesday evening, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri announced the measures. Chief among them is the downgrading of diplomatic missions in each country. Both the Indian and Pakistani high commissions will reduce their personnel strength from 55 to 30, to be completed by May 1. 

India has also expelled all defence, naval, and air advisors from the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi. These individuals have been declared persona non grata and instructed to leave the country within a week. Correspondingly, India will withdraw its military advisors from its own high commission in Islamabad. Five support staff assigned to the service advisors in both missions will also be recalled.

India has further suspended the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme for Pakistani nationals. Any existing visas issued to Pakistani citizens under this programme have been cancelled with immediate effect.

The CCS also ordered the immediate closure of the Integrated Check Post at Attari, the only functioning land border crossing between India and Pakistan. Pakistani nationals who have entered India through the post with valid documents may return before the 1 May deadline, Mr Misri added.

One of the most consequential decisions was the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960. Misri stated that the treaty will remain in abeyance until Pakistan can “credibly and irrevocably abjure its support for cross-border terrorism.”

As tensions remain high between both countries, Pakistani troops continue to engage in unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC). For a second consecutive night, the Pakistani army fired at Indian positions along the LoC, with Indian forces responding in kind. There have been no reports of any casualties on either side.