GUWAHATI: Pakistan has denied any role in the April 22 terrorist attack in Jammu & Kashmir’s Pahalgam area, which left 26 people dead, including both Indian nationals and foreign tourists, and at least 20 others injured.
In an interview with Pakistan's Live 92 news channel, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif firmly rejected any allegations of cross-border involvement, stating, “We have absolutely nothing to do with it. We condemn terrorism in all forms and everywhere. 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". His remarks come amid growing tensions and speculation following the deadly assault.
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Responsibility for the attack was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), a group widely believed to be a front for the Pakistan-based militant organisation Lashkar-e-Taiba. TRF said the assault was a retaliation against the Indian government's policy of issuing domicile certificates to outsiders in the region. The attackers, wearing military-style clothing, reportedly singled out Hindus from among the tourists visiting Baisaran Valley before gunning them down, marking one of the deadliest incidents in the Union Territory in recent years.
In the wake of the attack, rumours spread on social media suggesting Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets were being repositioned near the Indian border. Screenshots from flight tracking tools like Flightradar24 appeared to show aircraft departing northward from Karachi. However, Pakistan has not officially addressed these claims. The Defence Minister’s statement focused solely on distancing the country from the Pahalgam incident and reiterating a blanket rejection of terrorism.
The Indian government has not yet responded to Pakistan’s denial. Meanwhile, Indian security agencies are actively probing the attack and analyzing intelligence inputs. On the ground, local authorities are continuing recovery efforts and forensic investigations. The incident has further strained relations between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, recalling past escalations such as the 2019 Pulwama attack and subsequent Indian airstrikes in Balakot.
A horrifying terror attack claimed the lives of 26 people in Pahalgam. The victims, many of them tourists, were caught in a sudden and brutal terrorist assault in the popular tourist destination of Pahalgam, located in South Kashmir. Officials said at least 26 people were killed and around 20 others injured in what is being called one of the most heinous acts of terror in recent years.