Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif for Neutral Probe in Pahalgam Attack

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Pahalgam Attack: Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif Pushes for ‘Neutral’ Probe, India Sees Ploy to Internationalize Kashmir

By TRH News Desk

New Delhi, April 26, 2025: In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack that claimed 26 civilian lives, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has expressed readiness to participate in a “neutral and transparent” investigation, according to Pakistani media reports.

The attack, which occurred on April 22 in Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam, has escalated tensions between India and Pakistan. India has accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism.

Addressing a passing-out parade at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, Sharif condemned the attack and emphasized the need for an impartial probe. “The recent tragedy in Pahalgam is yet another example of this perpetual blame game, which must come to a grinding halt. Continuing with its role as a responsible country, Pakistan is open to participating in any neutral, transparent, and credible investigation,” Sharif was quoted as saying by Dawn, a leading Pakistani newspaper.

He further criticized India for “levelling baseless allegations and false accusations without credible investigation or verifiable evidence”.

The Express Tribune reported that Sharif’s remarks come amid heightened diplomatic friction, with India suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, closing the Attari-Wagah border, and revoking visas for Pakistani nationals in response to the attack.

Pakistan has retaliated by blocking Indian airlines from its airspace and suspending the 1972 Simla Agreement, which established the Line of Control (LoC). The newspaper noted that Sharif reiterated Pakistan’s stance on Kashmir, calling it the “jugular vein of Pakistan” and pledging continued support for the Kashmiri people’s right to self-determination.

According to Radio Pakistan, Sharif chaired a National Security Committee (NSC) meeting on April 24 to address India’s measures, where Pakistan rejected India’s suspension of the water treaty as an “act of war”. The NSC also called on India to “refrain from its reflexive blame game and cynical, staged-managed exploitation of incidents like Pahalgam to further its narrow political agenda”.

The Pahalgam attack, claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has drawn international attention, with the United Nations urging both nations to exercise restraint.

Pakistani media outlets, including Geo News, reported that Defence Minister Khawaja Asif echoed Sharif’s call for an international investigation, warning of an “all-out war” if India were to take aggressive action.

As tensions simmer, with reports of cross-LoC firing on April 25 and 26, Sharif’s push for a neutral probe underscores Pakistan’s attempt to deflect allegations of complicity. However, Indian authorities remain firm, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowing to pursue the attackers “to the ends of the earth”.

The international community continues to watch closely as the two nuclear-armed neighbours navigate this volatile standoff. But Sharif’s call for “neutral” probe is seen in New Delhi as an old ploy of Islamabad to internationalise the Kashmir issue.

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