Amid escalating diplomatic fallout, Pakistan’s PM offers cooperation for a credible investigation even as India announces sweeping measures following the Kashmir massacre.
April 27, 2025: New Delhi:
In his first public response to the Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 people dead, including a Nepalese national, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif stated today that Pakistan is ready to participate in a “neutral, transparent, and credible investigation.”
Speaking at a graduation ceremony at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, Sharif criticized what he called a “perpetual blame game” and insisted that Pakistan “condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations.”
“The recent tragedy in Pahalgam is yet another example of this blame culture. Pakistan is open to any neutral investigation,” Sharif said, emphasizing his country’s willingness to cooperate internationally.
His comments come as The Resistance Front (TRF) — widely considered a proxy of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) — claimed responsibility for the attack. Indian intelligence sources have revealed that one of the key suspects, Adil Ahmed Thoker, had traveled to Pakistan on a student visa in 2018 for military training before infiltrating back into India with Pakistani operatives.
Diplomatic Fallout: India’s Retaliatory Steps
India, responding to what it calls credible evidence of Pakistan’s complicity, has unleashed a series of punitive measures:
- Diplomatic Downgrade:
Both countries’ missions will reduce staff strength from 55 to 30 by May 1.
All defence, naval, and air advisors in the Pakistani High Commission in New Delhi have been expelled. - SAARC Visa Scheme Suspended:
India has cancelled all SAARC visa exemptions for Pakistani nationals. - Closure of Land Border:
The Integrated Check Post at Attari has been ordered closed. Pakistani citizens currently in India via Attari must exit before May 1. - Indus Waters Treaty Suspended:
In a major diplomatic step, India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 until Pakistan “credibly and irrevocably abjures its support for cross-border terrorism.”
At a press briefing, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri outlined these measures, emphasizing India’s commitment to a firm and calibrated response.
Ongoing Tensions at the LoC
Adding to the tensions, Pakistani troops continued unprovoked firing along the Line of Control (LoC) for the second consecutive night. Indian forces retaliated appropriately. No casualties have been reported yet.
Background:
The April 22 attack at Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam is one of the deadliest assaults since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, reigniting calls for a tougher Indian posture against Pakistan-backed terror groups.
🏷️ Tags:
Pahalgam terror attack, Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan India relations, Kashmir attack response, TRF Lashkar link, Indus Waters Treaty suspension, SAARC visa cancellation, Diplomatic downgrade India Pakistan, Line of Control firing, Terrorism investigation