Pakistan Got Nothing To Do With Pahalgam Terrorist Attack In Kashmir: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif

In its first reaction to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan has distanced itself from the incident.

What He Said?

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has claimed that his country has has "nothing to do" with the incident and claimed that it was not an act of foreign interference.

Speaking to Pakistan's Pakistan's Live 92 news channel, Asif said: "Pakistan has no connection with this. There are revolutions in so-called Indian states, from Nagaland to Kashmir, in Chhattisgarh, Manipur, and the south. These are not acts of foreign interference but local uprisings. This is home-grown as the government is exploiting many," Asif said.

The Pakistan Minister stated: "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. "However, if local forces are targeting the Indian government, it becomes easy to target Pakistan," Asif continued.

The deadly attack in Pahalgam has killed at least 26 people on Tuesday. There are two foreign nationals, including one from Nepal and other UAE who died in the incident.

This incident comes just days after Pakistan's Army chief General Asim Munir made provocative statement on Kashmir.

What Pak Army Chief Said, Last Week?

Speaking about Kashmir, 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."

At least 26 people have been killed in the terror attack in Pahalgam on Tuesday afternoon. The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist group, has claimed responsibility for the attack.

His provocative remarks are seen as indicators that triggered the TRF to carry out the attack, multiple intelligence officers told The Times of India.

However, India is yet to give an official statement on Pakistan's role or about involvement of external forces.

Saifullah Kasuri, a top commander of LeT, and Rawalkot-based Lashkar commanders, one of whom is Abu Musa, are the suspects who plotted the incident, the report claimed.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cut short his trip to Saudi Arabia and returned to Delhi in view of the incident.