Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif today announced that his country is prepared to engage in a "neutral investigation" into the terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 individuals, including a Nepalese citizen, were brutally killed.
The assault, one of the most devastating since the 2019 abrogation of Article 370, has ignited a fierce diplomatic and security backlash from India against Pakistan, which is widely accused of providing sanctuary to the masterminds behind such groups.
Speaking at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sharif stated that Islamabad is willing to take part in an independent and "credible" probe into the incident.
"The tragic events in Pahalgam are yet another chapter in the endless cycle of accusations. It is time for this blame game to end. Pakistan, as a responsible nation, is ready to participate in any transparent and impartial investigation," he declared.
Responsibility for the Pahalgam massacre was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a known proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba terror outfit.
Intelligence agencies have identified Adil Ahmed Thoker as one of the primary attackers; reports suggest he crossed into Pakistan years ago, underwent militant training, and later returned to India alongside a group of Pakistani operatives.
"Pakistan unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms," Sharif emphasized, adding that "our armed forces remain vigilant and fully prepared to safeguard the country's sovereignty against any external threat."
Sharif’s remarks follow Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s recent comments to The New York Times, where he similarly claimed Islamabad's willingness to cooperate with any internationally monitored inquiry.
In New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired an emergency meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) on Wednesday to map out India's response to the Pahalgam carnage.
The CCS announced a raft of measures targeting Pakistan, blaming it for perpetuating cross-border terrorism.
Key decisions unveiled by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri at a press conference included the scaling down of diplomatic missions in both countries. The number of personnel at each nation's high commission will be slashed from 55 to 30, with the downsizing to be completed by May 1.
India has further expelled all military advisors—covering defence, naval, and air—from Pakistan’s High Commission in New Delhi, declaring them persona non grata and ordering their departure within a week. In parallel, India’s own military advisors will be recalled from Islamabad. Five associated support staff members from each side will also be withdrawn.
Additionally, the Indian government has suspended the SAARC Visa Exemption Scheme for Pakistani citizens, immediately invalidating all visas issued under the programme.
The Integrated Check Post at Attari—the only active land crossing between India and Pakistan—will be shut down. Pakistani nationals currently in India via the Attari crossing have been asked to return home by May 1.
Perhaps the most significant step announced was the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960, a cornerstone agreement between the two neighbours. Misri stated that the treaty will remain inactive until Pakistan demonstrates an "unambiguous and irreversible commitment" to ceasing its support for terrorism.
Meanwhile, tensions along the Line of Control (LoC) continue to escalate. Pakistani forces have engaged in repeated ceasefire violations for two consecutive nights, prompting retaliatory fire from Indian troops. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported so far.
Source: News Agencies