Pahalgam terror attack: Pakistan condoles death of tourists in Jammu and Kashmir
The country's foreign office expressed concern and offered sympathies, but its defence minister dismissed any link to Islamabad, calling the incident a result of "home-grown" discontent within India.
'We are concerned at the loss of tourists' lives in an attack in Anantnag district. We extend our condolences to the near ones of the deceased and wish the injured a speedy recovery,' said a statement from the Pakistan Foreign Office in response to media queries.
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The attack, which occurred in the Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam, is the deadliest in the Valley since the Pulwama bombing of 2019.
Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Asif, in an interview with Live 92 News, asserted, 'Pakistan has no connection with this. These are local uprisings, from Nagaland to Kashmir, Chhattisgarh to Manipur. It's not foreign interference.'
Asif went on to label the violence as a rebellion against what he described as Hindutva-led repression, saying, 'These are people asking for their rights. Hindutva forces are repressing minorities, Christians, Buddhists, Muslims… and people are reacting.'
The comments sharply contrast with India's longstanding position that Pakistan-based groups, such as
Lashkar-e-Taiba
and its proxies like
The Resistance Front
(TRF), are actively involved in stoking terror in Jammu and Kashmir.
Further intensifying the rhetoric, Asif accused India of backing unrest in Pakistan, especially in Balochistan, 'India is sponsoring unrest in Balochistan. We've presented evidence multiple times of India's hand behind instability in Pakistan.'
While asserting that Pakistan condemns terrorism 'under any circumstances,' Asif added, 'If the army or police are committing atrocities against people denied fundamental rights, blaming Pakistan becomes a convenient excuse.'
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