- PM Shehbaz says New Delhi yet to respond to Pakistan’s offer for a neutral probe into Pahalgam incident
- Expresses gratitude to President Erdogan for a strong statement in prevailing situation in South Asia
- Says Turkiye’s support reflective of historic, deep-rooted and time-tested brotherly ties between two countries, their peoples
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said that Pakistan’s reaction had been responsible and measured so far in the face of India’s escalating moves in wake of the Pahalgam incident in Indian-Illegally Occupied Jammu (IIOJK).
“India has failed to share any evidence and was falsely trying to link Pakistan to the Pahalgam incident,” PM Shehbaz stated while talking to Ambassador of the Republic of Turkiye Dr Irfan Neziroglu at the PM House, said a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
The premier reiterated that Pakistan had always condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.
The April 22 attack in Pahalgam, a tourist attraction in in Indian-Illegally Occupied Jammu (IIOJK), killed 26 people, mostly tourists, in one of the deadliest assaults since 2000.
“India has yet to respond to Pakistan’s offer to have a credible, transparent and neutral international investigation to ascertain the facts behind the Pahalgam incident,” he said, adding that Pakistan would cooperate fully with such an investigation and would welcome if Turkiye joined it.
The prime minister also highlighted that Pakistan had rendered great sacrifices in its counter-terrorism efforts, including 90,000 casualties and over $152 billion in economic losses over the years.
He further said that India’s actions would distract Pakistan from its counter-terrorism efforts.
PM Shehbaz expressed his gratitude to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for his strong statement that supported Pakistan during the prevailing situation in South Asia as well as his call for peace in the region.
The prime minister noted that Turkiye’s support to Pakistan was reflective of the “historic, deep-rooted and time-tested brotherly relations” between the two countries and their peoples.
He reaffirmed the government’s focus on economic recovery and growth for which it required peace and security in its neighbourhood.
The Turkish ambassador informed the prime minister that Turkiye appreciated Pakistan’s position and expressed its solidarity with Pakistan while calling for de-escalation and urging restraint in the current crisis to maintain peace and security in South Asia.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz expressed gratitude to Chinese Premier Li Qiang for endorsing Islamabad’s call for a credible and transparent international investigation into the April 22 attack in IIIOJK.
The prime minister made the remarks during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong at the Prime Minister’s Office in Islamabad, where he also expressed gratitude to China for its consistent support amid escalating regional tensions.
