INDIA’S persistent efforts to link Pakistan to Pahalgam attack have failed to convince the international community. Repeating an allegation does not turn it into evidence and no amount of political rhetoric can substitute for a credible, transparent investigation.
A telling indication came from Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who rejected the suggestion that Pakistan was responsible for the Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). Speaking to NDTV on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in New Delhi, the Malaysian Prime Minister made it clear that there was no intelligence assessment available to him establishing Pakistani state-sponsored terrorism in the incident. His position was simple: responsibility must first be established before accusations can be accepted as fact. This is precisely the point India appears unwilling to address. Pakistan has consistently called for an open and transparent investigation into the Pahalgam incident. Instead of presenting evidence, New Delhi has only relied on accusations and a familiar narrative designed to portray Pakistan as the culprit. Such an approach may serve domestic political purposes, but it cannot be expected to command acceptance in the civilized world.
India must understand that the international community cannot be expected to accept unsubstantiated claims indefinitely. In the civilized world, allegations require evidence, terrorism requires investigation and accountability must apply equally to all states. The failure to produce credible evidence is particularly significant given India’s own record of covert operations and transnational activities. India has used false-flag operations to malign Pakistan and has supported proxies involved in terrorism inside the country. The killing of Sikh leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada also clearly indicates Indian extraterritorial activity. These actions deserve serious international scrutiny rather than being ignored for reasons of political expediency. The world must recognize and understand that the Indian conduct poses a real threat to peace and stability in the region.
