'Don’t blame us': In first reaction, Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif denies role in Pahalgam terror attack; Watch

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NEW DELHI: A day after a deadly terror attack on tourists in Pahalgam rocked Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan’s defence minister Khawaja Asif distanced Islamabad from the bloodshed, describing the violence as “home-grown” and part of a wider rebellion against India.

Asif’s remarks, made during an interview with Pakistan’s Live 92 news channel, came as Prime Minister Narendra Modi cut short a high-profile visit to Saudi Arabia to return home following the killing of 28 people at the Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam. While New Delhi has yet to officially point fingers, Asif launched a counter-offensive.

“Pakistan has no connection with this,” he insisted. “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.”

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The statement sharply diverges from New Delhi’s longstanding position that cross-border terrorism, particularly from groups allegedly backed by Pakistan, fuels unrest in Jammu and Kashmir. However, Asif doubled down, saying, “These are people asking for their rights. Hindutva forces are repressing minorities, Christians, Buddhists, Muslims, and people are reacting.”

With emotions running high after the attack that targeted unarmed tourists, Asif attempted to shift the narrative by accusing India of meddling in Pakistan’s internal affairs. “India is sponsoring unrest in Balochistan. We’ve presented evidence multiple times, not once, but repeatedly, of India’s hand behind instability in Pakistan,” he said.

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While Asif claimed Pakistan opposes terrorism “under any circumstances,” he suggested India’s treatment of its own citizens was leading to armed resistance. “If the army or police are committing atrocities against people denied fundamental rights, blaming Pakistan becomes a convenient excuse.”

There was no immediate response from the Indian government to Asif’s provocative comments, which come at a sensitive time with security tensions already heightened.

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