Pahalgam terror attack: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khwaja Asif has said that the terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 people and left several others injured, some of whom are in critical condition, has nothing to do with Pakistan. He said that while it is “convenient” to blame Pakistan, the attack is a result of what he described as “local uprisings”.
“Pakistan has no link with the Pahalgam terror attack,” Pakistan’s Defence Minister said during an interview with the country’s Live 92 news channel.
‘Blaming Pakistan becomes a convenient excuse’
“The Indian government has been facing protests in many states, including Nagaland, Manipur, Kashmir, and Chhattisgarh. These are not acts of foreign interference but local uprisings,” Asif said, adding, “These are people asking for their rights. Hindutva forces are repressing minorities, Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, and people are reacting.”
He added that the country doesn’t support any form of terrorism “under any circumstances”. “We do not support terrorism in any form, and locals should not be a target for terrorists, and we have no doubt about it,” he said after the deadly terror attack.
“If the army or police are committing atrocities against people, denying them fundamental rights, blaming Pakistan becomes a convenient excuse,” he stressed.
Pakistan extends condolences
“We are concerned at the loss of tourists’ lives in an attack in Anantnag district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. We extend our condolences to the near ones of the deceased and wish the injured a speedy recovery,” the Pakistan Foreign Affairs spokesperson said in a statement.