'Absolutely Nothing To Do With It': Pakistan Claims No Role In Pahalgam Terror Attack

A day after terrorists killed at least 25 tourists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khwaja Asif on Wednesday (23 April) claimed that Islamabad had “nothing to do" with the terror attack.

However, security officials in India remain unconvinced by Pakistan's denial, Indian Express reported.

Initial investigation suggest the terrorists included foreign nationals, casting doubt on Pakistan’s claim of non-involvement.

The terror attack on Tuesday near a meadow in Pahalgam left 25 tourists and one Kashmiri dead, marking the most lethal terror attack on civilians in India since the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

“We have absolutely nothing to do with it. We reject terrorism in all its forms and everywhere,” Asif told a Pakistan TV channel on the Pahalgam attack.

Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry expressed “concern” over the loss of lives in the attack and extended condolences to the families of the victims.

Indian officials, however, remain doubtful over Pakistan's claim as The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy group of the banned Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfit, was said to have claimed responsibility for the attack.

According to officials, the initial probe after recording the eyewitness accounts and victim statements indicate that four terrorists—two of whom are said to be foreign nationals—were dressed in military-style camouflage attire during the attack.

Further, the attack comes a week after Pakistan Army chief Gen Asim Munir reignited tensions by calling Kashmir Pakistan’s “jugular vein,” drawing a firm rebuttal from India’s MEA.

Speaking at an event in Islamabad last week, General Munir said, "Our stance is absolutely clear, it was our jugular vein, it will be our jugular vein, we will not forget it. We will not leave our Kashmiri brothers in their heroic struggle."

“Our religions are different, our customs are different, our traditions are different, our thoughts are different, our ambitions are different. That was the foundation of the two-nation theory that was laid there. We are two nations, we are not one nation,” Munir had said.

Responding to questions on Munir’s remarks, MEA’s official spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, said last Thursday: “How can anything foreign be in a jugular vein? This is a Union Territory of India. Its only relationship with Pakistan is the vacation of illegally occupied territories by that country.”

The IE report cited sources as saying that the government was exploring all strategic and security options in response to the attack.

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