Pakistan's Prime Minister says open to neutral investigation: Forces still have the ability to defend national sovereignty
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif said on Saturday that Pakistan is open to a neutral investigation into the fatal attack in India-controlled Kashmir, which India blames on Islamabad and has led to an impasse in relations between the two countries, with their troops exchanging fire in the disputed border region.
Pakistan denies involvement in the attack on April 22 in the scenic town of Pahalgam, where a group of gunmen killed 26 men, the deadliest civilian attack in Kashmir in over 20 years. India firmly accuses Pakistan of supporting "cross-border terrorism".
The Indian police have issued arrest warrants for three men - two Pakistanis and one Indian, and said these individuals are members of the "Lashkar-e-Taiba" organization based in Pakistan, which is a designated terrorist organization by the United Nations.
Shahbaz Sharif denied the Indian allegations on Saturday, saying that Pakistan "is willing to participate in any neutral, transparent, and credible investigation". The Indian security forces have launched a large-scale search for those responsible for the Pahalgam attack, destroying the homes of Indian citizens suspected of being involved in the attack in the Kashmir region.
Both India and Pakistan have taken a series of diplomatic measures, and their troops have exchanged fire twice in the Kashmir region in recent days. The Indian army said that the "multiple" posts of the Pakistani army had "unjustifiably" fired light weapons at night.
"The Indian army conducted appropriate retaliation with light weapons," the Indian army said in a statement, adding that there were no reports of casualties. Pakistan did not confirm this, but both sides confirmed the previous night's exchange of fire between their troops.
Shahbaz Sharif said at a military ceremony in Abbottabad, a mountain resort city in northern Pakistan: "Our brave armed forces still have the full capability and are ready to defend national sovereignty."
The Indian Press Information Bureau warned broadcasters on Saturday, out of "national security interests", "not to broadcast live reports of defense operations", and mentioned the 1999 Kargil War with Pakistan. The United Nations has urged these former warring neighbors to show "maximum restraint". The Iranian Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that Tehran has offered to play the role of mediator.
Source: rfi
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