Pakistan rejects Indian propaganda on Pahalgam attack, deplores 'weaponisation of false narrative'

The April 22, 2025 attack in Pahalgam saw 26 people, mostly tourists, killed in what is being described as the deadliest armed attack in the disputed Himalayan region since the year 2000. New Delhi blamed the attack on Pakistan without any evidence. For its part, Pakistan strongly denied the allegations and called for a neutral investigation.

On the attack’s one year anniversary, some in India appeared to link Pakistan again with terrorism. Meanwhile, the Indian army also said that a “response is assured” against acts of terrorism.

Subsequently, without referring to any particular instance, the Foreign Office (FO) in Islamabad said in a statement: “At a time when Pakistan, along with its international partners, is undertaking concerted diplomatic efforts for regional and international peace and security, it is deplorable that India has once again resorted to a campaign of baseless allegations and propaganda to link Pakistan with the Pahalgam incident.

“It is unfortunate that, in the midst of an ongoing regional crisis, India remains focused on weaponising its false narrative against Pakistan for narrow domestic political gains.”

The FO recalled the brief military conflict in May 2025 that followed the Pahalgam attack, saying: “After receiving a befitting reply to its misplaced adventurism in the form of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos last year, such allegations constitute yet another chapter from India’s playbook of creating a smokescreen for its continued sponsorship of terrorism across the region.”

It said fact remained that such propaganda campaigns could not distract the international community’s attention from India’s continued occupation of Kashmir and its denial of the right to self-determination to the Kashmiris, in violation of relevant UN resolutions.

“Nor can such gimmicks conceal the fact that India continues to undermine regional peace and security by resorting to inflammatory rhetoric, repeated provocations, and aggressive military posturing, including its illegal unilateral action to hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, in clear violation of international law,” the FO added.

It expressed hope that the international community would call on India to demonstrate responsible behaviour and to refrain from all rhetoric and actions that may serve as a spoiler to ongoing efforts aimed at regional and international peace and security.

Two days after the Pahalgam attack, India had taken a series of aggressive measures against Pakistan, including unilaterally suspending the critical Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). Pakistan retaliated by suspending all kinds of trade, closing its airspace for Indian flights and shutting down the Wagah border.

Subsequently, New Delhi launched deadly overnight air strikes on Pakistan on May 6 over allegations about the Pahalgam attack. In retaliation, Pakistan Air Force downed five Indian jets, later raising the tally to seven.

After tit-for-tat strikes on each other’s airbases, it took American intervention on May 10 for both sides to finally reach a ceasefire.