Pakistan offers to join ‘neutral’ probe into attack
• PM says Islamabad open to participating in ‘any credible investigation’, calls out India for ‘pattern of exploitation’
• Shehbaz warns efforts to divert water to be responded to ‘with full force and might’
• FM Dar speaks to counterparts from several countries, discusses tensions with India
• UNSC slams Pahalgam attack; UN chief spokesperson says Guterres paying ‘very close attention’ to conflict
ISLAMABAD: As the fallout of the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians continues to reverberate across the region, Pakistan on Saturday called for an independent investigation into the deadly attack while also criticising India for leveling “baseless allegations” without a credible investigation or evidence.
“Continuing with its role as a responsible country, Pakistan is open to participating in any neutral, transparent, and credible investigation,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said during the passing-out parade of cadets at the Pakistan Military Academy.
PM Shehbaz emphasised Pakistan’s stance against terrorism, saying, “Pakistan has always condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations as the world’s frontline state against terrorism.” He also criticised India for what he described as a “pattern of exploitation” by leveling “baseless allegations and false accusations without credible investigation or verifiable evidence.”
He also drew a hard line on the issue of water resources, stressing continued water flow under the Indus Waters Treaty as a red line. “Water is a vital national interest of Pakistan, our lifeline,” he said. “Any attempt to stop, reduce, or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan under the Indus River Treaty would be responded to with full force and might.”
He vowed that Pakistan would not be deterred from supporting the Kashmir cause, stating, “Let there be no doubt Pakistan shall continue to support the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people till they achieve their rights through their great struggle and sacrifices.”
New Delhi did not immediately respond to Pakistan’s offer.
The offer by the premier came as several countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, China and the United Kingdom, intensified diplomatic efforts to ease tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
The Chinese and British envoys met with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Saturday, while Mr Dar also spoke to his counterparts from Turkey, Azerbaijan, and Egypt. All these discussions were dominated by the Pahalgam attack.
Tensions between the two countries soared in the aftermath of the attack as India took a series of harsh measures, including suspending the Indus Water Treaty, downgrading diplomatic relations, revoking visas for Pakistani nationals — including those under the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) visa exemption scheme — and halting bilateral trade. Security measures were also heightened.
Pakistan mirrored India’s steps and went further by banning Indian airliners from using its airspace and warning it could suspend all bilateral agreements, including the landmark Simla Agreement, which underpins relations between the two countries.
While India has stopped short of directly blaming Pakistan, officials have hinted at cross-border involvement, a claim Islamabad has firmly denied.
UNSC slams attack
The UN Security Council also condemned the “terrorist” attack in the Indian occupied Kashmir, as the 15-member body also released Pakistan’s statement outlining its retaliatory countermeasures to New Delhi’s “reckless” steps announced in the wake of the April 22 incident.
In a press statement cited by the state-run APP, the council members called for accountability and international cooperation to bring the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack to justice.
They expressed their deepest sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims, as well as to the governments of India and Nepal, extending wishes for a speedy recovery to those injured in the attack.
Terrorism in all its forms and manifestations constitutes one of the most serious threats to international peace and security, the council members reaffirmed. They underscored that such acts are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomever committed.
The council members urged all states, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions, to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities.
They reaffirmed the need for states to combat by all means threats to international peace and security resulting from acts of terrorism, in accordance with the UN Charter and other obligations under international law.
Meanwhile, the UN Security Council released the press statement issued at the conclusion of Pakistan’s National Security Committee meeting, which was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday, as an official document. The Pakistani statement contained the retaliatory decisions taken during the NSC’s deliberations.
In a letter, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad transmitted the statement to the UN Security Council President for April, Jerome Bonnafont of France, on Friday.
“The letter has been issued as an official document of the Security Council under the agenda item ‘India-Pakistan Question’,” the council president told the members.
Separately, a spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that the UN chief was paying “very close attention” to the escalating tensions between India and Pakistan.
“I don’t agree with your comment, (but) we are paying very close attention to the situation between India and Pakistan,” Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told a New York Post reporter at the regular noon briefing at UN Headquarters in New York.
Following a question from APP whether the UN chief planned to speak to the leaders of India and Pakistan on his return from Rome, Mr Dujarric said that he hoped to have something on it later. At this, the Post reporter commented, “Amazing, by the way, two nuclear countries … might go to war may merit such little attention…?” “I don’t agree with your comment (but) we are paying very close attention to the situation between India and Pakistan,” Mr Dujarric responded.
Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2025