Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said Pakistan was open to any “neutral, transparent, and credible” investigation into the deadly April 22 attack in Pahalgam, India-occupied Kashmir, which left 26 people, mostly tourists, dead. Pakistan firmly denied any involvement, rejecting India’s accusations as baseless and politically motivated.
Addressing a ceremony at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, PM Shehbaz criticised India’s “perpetual blame game” and said peace must not be mistaken for weakness. He reaffirmed that Pakistan would participate in any independent inquiry and condemned India’s move to exploit the tragedy without evidence.
Tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours have escalated rapidly since the attack. India suspended the decades-old Indus Waters Treaty, while Pakistan responded by threatening to suspend the Simla Agreement and closing its airspace for Indian flights. PM Shehbaz warned that Pakistan’s water rights under the IWT were non-negotiable, promising a strong response to any attempts at disruption.
The prime minister expressed full confidence in Pakistan’s armed forces, recalling their swift and resolute response during India’s February 2019 Balakot strike. He stressed that Pakistan remains committed to peace but stands fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Shehbaz Sharif also reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering support for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, citing the vision of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and vowed to continue advocating for their struggle until justice is achieved.
The prime minister’s statement came a day after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told The New York Times that Pakistan welcomed an international investigation into the Pahalgam attack, warning that if tensions continued to escalate, the risk of “all-out war” could not be ignored.
Global leaders, including the United Nations, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and the United States, have urged both sides to exercise restraint, as fears rise over another major conflict between South Asia’s two nuclear powers.
