Pakistan blames India for 'staging' Pahalgam terror attack

Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif denied any role of Pakistan in the Pahalgam terror attack and accused India of creating a 'false flag' operation. 

In an interview with British broadcaster Sky News, Asif suggested that India had 'staged' the shooting 'to create some sort of crisis in the region'. "Pakistan has always been a victim of terrorism, and we have condemned the attack in the last two days," he said, adding that the nation has no role in the attack. 

He also denied accusations from the US and other countries regarding Pakistan's involvement in the attack. "It is very convenient for big powers to blame Pakistan for whatever is happening in the region," he said. 

At least 26 people were killed and several others injured in the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), an outfit linked to the proscribed Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

However, Asif claimed that Lashkar-e-Taiba is a defunct group and does not exist anymore. "Lashkar-e-Taiba is a name from the past. It is defunct. It does not exist," he told Sky News. When told about the role of TRF in the attack, he asked, "When the parent organisation does not exist, how can the offshoot take birth?"

Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday vowed to punish the perpetrators and their backers behind the attack, without mentioning the involvement of Pakistan. "India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their supporters. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth," Modi said.

But Asif said that Pakistan is ready to retaliate if India moves to an all-out attack. "We have already prepared for any attack from India," he told Sky News. He also expressed hope that the dispute could be resolved through negotiations.

When asked about Pakistan's long history of supporting and funding terrorist organisations, Asif admitted the same and said, "We have been doing this dirty work for the United States for decades, you know, and the West, including Britain".