Maqsoodgujjer
Pakistan seeks the participation of Russia and China in the investigation of the Pahalgam terror attack, as reported by the media. On Tuesday, terrorists opened fire in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of 26 individuals, primarily tourists, marking the deadliest incident in the region since the Pulwama attack in 2019.
The Resistance Front (TRF), affiliated with the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has claimed responsibility for this attack. Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Sunday that those responsible for the Pahalgam attack will face the most severe consequences. In a recent interview with the Russian state-run news agency RIA Novosti, Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif expressed that Russia, China, or even Western nations could play a constructive role in this crisis by establishing an investigation team to determine the veracity of India’s claims regarding the incident.
He emphasized the need for an international team to uncover the truth. Additionally, he mentioned that Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has also suggested an international inquiry. Khawaja asserted that it is essential to identify the true culprits behind this incident in Kashmir, stating that mere discussions or empty statements are ineffective without concrete evidence linking Pakistan to the attack. Meanwhile, Andrew Korybko, an independent analyst based in Moscow, observed that while Pakistan’s denial of India’s accusations was anticipated, high-ranking officials made two statements that undermined their credibility. Ishaq Dar, who serves as both Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, controversially suggested that the individuals responsible for the attacks in Pahalgam on April 22 could be considered freedom fighters.
Regardless of individual perspectives on the Kashmir conflict, it is unequivocally an act of terrorism to target tourists, particularly based on their religious beliefs. The suggestion that the attackers could be ‘freedom fighters’ undermines legitimate freedom fighters globally and implicitly endorses terrorism, as noted by Korybko in his Substack newsletter.
second self-discrediting assertion from a senior Pakistani official regarding the Pahalgam terrorist incident was made by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who stated to Al Jazeera that the events of that tragic day could potentially be a false flag operation. Upon further examination of the statements made by Dar and Asif, observers may identify a significant contradiction; the former appeared to endorse the Pahalgam attack by suggesting the attackers ‘might be freedom fighters’, while the latter condemned the attack and attributed the blame to India. ‘These scenarios are mutually exclusive and intellectually disingenuous, and the inability of senior Pakistani officials to maintain a consistent narrative indicates a clumsy attempt to obscure their side’s involvement,’ Korybko remarked.
