ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has categorically rejected allegations by Indian authorities that it attempted to target the Golden Temple in Amritsar, one of the most sacred sites in Sikhism, during the recent spike in cross-border tensions.
Responding to media queries on Tuesday, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said the claim—reportedly made by a senior Indian army officer—is “absolutely baseless and incorrect.”
“We hold all places of worship in the highest esteem and cannot think of targeting a holy site like the Golden Temple,” he said, adding that it is India, not Pakistan, that has attacked religious sites, as seen during the May 6–7 incidents in Pakistan.
The FO dismissed India’s accusation that Pakistan used drones or missiles in an attempted strike on the Golden Temple during the night of May 7–8, calling it a fabrication designed to deflect attention from its own actions.
Shafqat highlighted that Pakistan is home to some of the most revered Sikh religious sites and annually hosts thousands of Sikh pilgrims from across the world. He also pointed to the Kartarpur Corridor, which allows visa-free access to Gurdwara Darbar Sahib for pilgrims from India.
“In that backdrop, any claim concerning Pakistan’s attempt to target the Golden Temple is not only false but absurd,” he added.
The FO also criticized the Indian army’s recent claims about Pakistan allegedly deploying nuclear-capable Shaheen missiles, noting that such misleading content was later deleted by Indian media. “These fabricated stories are part of India’s ongoing effort to promote a false narrative about Pakistan and mislead its own population and the international community,” the spokesperson said.
The latest accusations come on the heels of last month’s deadly attack in Indian-occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which New Delhi blamed on Islamabad without evidence. Pakistan has strongly denied any involvement and called for a neutral investigation.
The incident brought both nuclear-armed neighbours close to military confrontation before international diplomacy—particularly U.S. mediation—helped restore a fragile ceasefire.
