Pakistan’s protection minister on Friday declared his nation’s innocence in a terror assault that killed 26 folks this week in disputed Kashmir territory managed by India, and mentioned that a world investigation into the assault was wanted.
In an interview, the minister, Khawaja Muhammad Asif, mentioned that the nation was “able to cooperate” with “any investigation which is carried out by worldwide inspectors.”
The minister’s remarks seemed to be aimed toward defusing tensions with India, after armed militants attacked a vacationer group on Tuesday close to Pahalgam, a city within the southern a part of Kashmir. It was the deadliest terror assault on Indian-administered land in years.
Within the days since, India has moved shortly to take steps towards Pakistan, which additionally controls a part of Kashmir, together with by closing border crossings and suspending an important water pact. Officers in India have mentioned they believe the involvement of no less than two Pakistani nationals within the assault.
Mr. Asif mentioned that India had used the aftermath of the phobia assault as a pretext to droop the water treaty, and for home political functions. India, he mentioned, was taking steps to punish Pakistan “with none proof, with none investigation.”
Pakistani officers have requested the Trump administration to mediate the dispute.
“We don’t need this conflict to flare up, as a result of flaring up of this conflict could cause catastrophe for this area,” Mr. Asif mentioned.
The final main militant assault within the Indian a part of Kashmir occurred in 2019, when dozens of Indian safety personnel have been killed. After that assault, India launched airstrikes on Pakistan.
Officers in Washington haven’t but attributed the assault in Kashmir this week to any group. Slightly-known group known as the Resistance Entrance has reportedly claimed duty.
However america and different nations are cautious in regards to the aftermath of the assault. The lack of life has prompted sharp actions from India, and Western officers have anxious that the tensions between two nuclear-armed neighbors might spiral uncontrolled.
Nonetheless, Trump administration officers have expressed help for India. Vice President JD Vance was in India this week, a visit that got here after Tulsi Gabbard, the director of nationwide intelligence, delivered a speech final month in New Delhi on the significance of worldwide peace.
Each Pakistan and India have closed border crossings and brought actions towards diplomats. Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India mentioned this week that his nation would punish “each terrorist and their backers.”
“India’s spirit won’t ever be damaged by terrorism,” he mentioned.
Indian officers say the group that claimed duty for the assault is a proxy for the Lashkar-e-Taiba, a gaggle behind the Mumbai assaults in 2008.
Mr. Asif disputed that allegation. He mentioned Lashkar-e-Taiba have been “defunct” and had no skill to plan or conduct assaults from Pakistan-controlled territory.
“They’re completed; they don’t have any setup in Pakistan,” he mentioned. “These folks, no matter is left of them, they’re contained. A few of them are underneath home arrest, a few of them are in custody. They don’t seem to be in any respect energetic.”
U.S. officers have mentioned that Lashkar-e-Taiba confirmed indicators of exercise lately, and its chief has lived in the open in Pakistan.
Mr. Asif advised that the assault may need been carried out by native separatist teams in Kashmir pushing for extra native management.
He added that Pakistan doesn’t help separatist teams in India. However different Pakistan officers have mentioned that doesn’t apply to Kashmir. Pakistan’s military chief final week known as Kashmir his nation’s “jugular vein” and mentioned “we won’t depart our Kashmiri brethren of their heroic battle that they’re waging towards Indian occupation.”
. Mr. Asif additionally advised, with out proof, that the assault might have been a “false flag” carried out by the Indian authorities to impress a disaster.
Pakistan, he mentioned, had nothing to achieve from a terror assault on civilians. The Indian authorities, he added, was utilizing it to marshal help and to get out of the water treaty.
The World Financial institution negotiated the Indus Waters Treaty, which India and Pakistan signed in 1960. By suspending the treaty, India might in some unspecified time in the future prohibit the stream of rivers into Pakistan, reducing off the nation’s supply of water for irrigation and human consumption.
Mr. Asif, who beforehand served as Pakistan’s minister in command of water provides, mentioned that for the final decade, India has been making an attempt to get out of the treaty, which has been a supply of stability within the area.
“They have been creating excuses. They have been creating issues that weren’t there,” he mentioned. “They’ve now discovered an excuse to get out of this association.”
Mujib Mashal contributed reporting from New Delhi.
