In response to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s proposal for a “neutral” investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed skepticism, noting that Pakistan initially denied the incident and accused India of fabricating it.
Abdullah stated, “Initially, they refused to acknowledge the incident in Pahalgam. At first, they pointed the finger at us, accusing us of being behind it. It’s challenging to take seriously the statements of those who initially leveled such accusations against us.”
Sharif’s comments were made following mounting tensions between India and Pakistan, where he expressed a willingness for a “fair and open investigation” into the terror attack that claimed the lives of 26 tourists.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif previously accused India of staging the Pahalgam attack to create a crisis in the region, while Bilawal Bhutto alleged that India was using the incident to conceal its own government’s shortcomings.
The Pahalgam attack was one of the deadliest terrorist attacks on civilians in Kashmir, with Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists killing 26 tourists in the picturesque Baisaran Valley.
India, who indirectly implicated Pakistan in the terror attack, responded with a series of retaliatory measures and downgraded diplomatic ties. The incident has also led to widespread cancellations of bookings and an exodus of tourists from Kashmir.
Responding to this, Abdullah said, “I can understand the fear among the tourists, but I want to reassure them that if they leave Kashmir during these times, they may be helping our enemies win. The attackers targeted tourists because they wanted to drive all the tourists away from Kashmir.”
