Jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has reacted strongly to the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, describing it as “deeply disturbing and tragic”, while also issuing a sharp warning to India over its response.
Speaking through his official X handle on Tuesday, Khan extended condolences to the victims and their families, but accused the Indian government of hastily blaming Pakistan without proper investigation.
Referring to the 2019 Pulwama incident, Khan claimed that a similar pattern was being repeated. He said that, at the time, Pakistan had offered full cooperation, yet India failed to present any concrete evidence of involvement.
Drawing a parallel with the current situation, he accused the Modi government of again using a tragic incident to vilify Pakistan rather than seeking the truth.
Khan urged India to act with restraint, warning that South Asia remains a nuclear flashpoint. “Peace is our priority, but it should not be mistaken for weakness,” he stated, adding that Pakistan was fully capable of responding to any Indian aggression, just as it had in 2019 when he was in office.
Highlighting the plight of Kashmiris, Khan reiterated his longstanding position that they deserve the right to self-determination in accordance with UN resolutions.
He criticised the Indian government for what he called the illegal abrogation of Article 370, arguing that it had intensified the Kashmiri people's desire for freedom and worsened regional tensions.
From behind bars, Khan also took aim at Pakistan’s ruling elite, accusing Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari of remaining silent on India’s actions due to their foreign financial interests.
He alleged that these leaders prioritise their wealth abroad over defending Pakistan's sovereignty, fearing retaliation from Indian lobbying groups that could target their offshore assets.
Khan also issued a domestic call to action, urging Pakistanis to unify at a time of heightened external threats. He criticised the current government’s focus on political persecution, warning that such internal polarisation would only weaken the country’s ability to respond to challenges from outside.
Meanwhile, tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated further. Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claimed early Wednesday that Islamabad had credible intelligence suggesting India was preparing a military strike within the next 24 to 36 hours, allegedly using the Pahalgam attack as a justification. He warned that any act of aggression would be met with a decisive response.
On the Indian side, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly granted the military “complete operational freedom” to act following the Pahalgam tragedy, which claimed 26 lives.
While no official confirmation has been made regarding any planned military move, the rhetoric on both sides has added to the volatility of an already fragile relationship.
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