Pakistan slams India's 'false narrative' on Pahalgam attack, warns against escalation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Thursday strongly rejected what it termed as Indian propaganda linking it to the 2025 Pahalgam attack, accusing India of “weaponising a false narrative” amid ongoing regional tensions.

The April 22, 2025 attack in Pahalgam resulted in the deaths of 26 people, mostly tourists, marking one of the deadliest incidents in the disputed Himalayan region in over two decades. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the attack without presenting evidence — an allegation Pakistan categorically denied, calling instead for a neutral and transparent international investigation.

On the first anniversary of the incident, renewed statements from Indian quarters again sought to link Pakistan to terrorism, with the Indian military warning that a “response is assured” against such acts.

Responding to the developments, Pakistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Pakistan issued a strong statement criticising India’s approach. Without citing specific remarks, the Foreign Office said it was “deplorable” that India had once again resorted to baseless allegations at a time when Pakistan, in collaboration with international partners, was actively engaged in diplomatic efforts to promote regional and global peace.

“It is unfortunate that, in the midst of an ongoing regional crisis, India remains focused on weaponising its false narrative against Pakistan for narrow domestic political gains,” the statement said.

The Foreign Office also referenced the brief but intense military standoff between the two countries in May 2025 following the Pahalgam attack. It said that India’s “misplaced adventurism” had been met with a “befitting reply” through Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, adding that such allegations were part of a recurring pattern aimed at deflecting attention.

According to the statement, these narratives could not divert international focus from what Pakistan described as India’s continued occupation of Kashmir and the denial of the right to self-determination to its people, in violation of relevant United Nations resolutions.

The Foreign Office further accused India of undermining regional peace through “inflammatory rhetoric, repeated provocations and aggressive military posturing,” including its unilateral decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty — a move Pakistan says violates international law.

Islamabad urged the international community to take note of the situation and call on India to act responsibly, avoiding actions or rhetoric that could derail ongoing efforts aimed at maintaining regional stability.

Following the Pahalgam attack, India had taken a series of measures against Pakistan, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty. In response, Pakistan halted trade, closed its airspace to Indian flights, and shut down the Wagah border crossing.

Tensions escalated further when India launched overnight air strikes on May 6, 2025, citing the Pahalgam attack. Pakistan responded militarily, with its air force downing multiple Indian aircraft during the confrontation.

After several days of tit-for-tat strikes targeting each other’s airbases, a ceasefire was eventually brokered on May 10 with the intervention of the United States, bringing a temporary halt to hostilities.

The latest exchange of statements highlights the fragility of peace in South Asia, as both nuclear-armed neighbours remain locked in a cycle of accusation, retaliation and uneasy restraint.