File photo of Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif
Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has strongly rejected India’s allegations over the recent deadly attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir, calling it a “false flag operation” staged by India to deflect blame and malign Pakistan.
His remarks came in response to India’s accusations that Pakistan was behind the attack, which claimed the lives of at least 26 tourists.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Khawaja Asif stated, “Pakistan has no involvement in what happened in Kashmir. We have no links with any armed groups. We strongly deny the allegations made by Indian government.”
He further added, “We believe this was a staged attack. A false flag operation; an act carried out to frame another party.”
The attack took place on Tuesday, April 22, in India-administered Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam area, where gunmen opened fire on a tourist bus, killing at least 26 people.
A group calling itself "The Resistance Front" has claimed responsibility for the attack. Indian intelligence agencies allege that the group has ties to Pakistan-based banned outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Despite these claims, Asif maintained, “We are not connected to any armed group in Kashmir. The ongoing movement in Kashmir is indigenous and has no links to Pakistan.”
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also responded, dismissing India’s reaction as "childish and habitual."
He remarked, “India blames Pakistan for every incident. This has been their pattern in the past and it continues to be so.”
Analysts suggest that India's allegations may be part of a broader political strategy. Coupled with New Delhi’s recent decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty and its increasingly aggressive rhetoric on Kashmir, tensions in South Asia appear to be reaching new heights.
It’s worth noting that since 1989, a movement has been ongoing in India-administered Kashmir against central government control. While India labels the movement as terrorism, Pakistan has consistently described it as a legitimate struggle for self-determination by Kashmiri people.
