Dar urges India to share evidence of Pakistan’s alleged involvement in Pahalgam attack

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar urged India on Thursday to share evidence with the global community if Pakistan was involved in the Pahalgam attack.

Addressing a press conference alongside Defence Minister Khawaja Asif and other ministers, Dar said Pakistan has evidence and intelligence that some foreigners arrived in Srinagar with weapons.

“Indian intelligence agencies have kept these people in Srinagar,” he added.

The foreign minister said the Indian spy agencies were supporting the foreigners who “are trying to export IEDs (improvised explosive devices)”.

The FM added Pakistan’s armed forces were ready to respond to any Indian aggression. 

The presser came shortly after the top civil-military body — National Security Committee (NSC) — warned that any move by India to divert the flow of water lawfully belonging to Pakistan will be “considered an act of war”.

The move comes in response to India’s unilateral decision to suspend the six-decade-old Indus Water Treaty and also taking other steps against Pakistan in the aftermath of an attack on tourists in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).

The attack on Tuesday claimed the lives of 26 people, including one Nepali national. The Indian government blames Pakistan for the attack, a claim that Islamabad vehemently denied and also termed as a “false flag operation”.

Recalling the capture of an Indian pilot by Pakistan in 2019, Dar said India will be given a befitting response if it resorts to any misadventure.

Dar also warned that Pakistan would respond in kind if India withdrew security from Pakistan’s embassy in New Delhi.

The deputy premier warned that Pakistan has the option to suspend the Shimla agreement in response to India’s unilateral move against the Indus Water Treaty.

“We will take our friends in confidence. Pakistan is fully prepared,” he reiterated, adding that the World Bank will also be apprised of India’s announcement.

He said the decisions taken by the NSC will be handed over to the Indian envoy as a demarche.

Speaking on the occasion, Defence Minister Asif lashed out at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that “a certified terrorist ruler” like him was not in power in any country of the world.

He said leaders of militant outfits such as the TTP and BLA were present in India, accusing New Delhi of sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan.

Asif also revealed that India was planning to carry out terror incidents in Pakistani cities.

“If our citizens are attacked, then Indian citizens will not remain safe as well,” he warned.

“Let us make it clear that we are ready to deal with such terrorism,” he added.