Pak Deputy PM Ishaq Dar Called Pahalgam Attackers As ‘Freedom Fighters’
In a fresh diplomatic flashpoint, Pakistan Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar triggered outrage on Thursday by describing the terrorists behind the Pahalgam massacre in Jammu and Kashmir as “freedom fighters”.
Addressing reporters in Islamabad, Dar stated, “Those who carried out attacks in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam district on April 22 might be freedom fighters.” The remark came just days after 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed in a terror attack in the Baisaran Valley, with The Resistance Front (TRF), a Lashkar-e-Taiba affiliate, claiming responsibility.
India had earlier launched a series of diplomatic offensives, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and revoking all visas issued to Pakistani nationals. New Delhi has directly linked the Pahalgam attack to Pakistan-based terror outfits.
Responding to India’s move to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, Dar warned, “240 million people in Pakistan need water… you cannot stop it. It tantamounts to an act of war.” Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC) also issued a stern statement, echoing Dar’s tone.
“Any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan as per the Indus Waters Treaty and the usurpation of the rights of lower riparians will be considered as an act of war,” the NSC warned.
Further escalating tensions, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif alleged that India was planning cross-border strikes. “We will make them pay through their noses. If our citizens are harmed by India, Indian citizens will not remain safe either. It will be tit-for-tat,” Asif said.
The Indian Ministry of External Affairs has yet to issue a formal response to Dar’s comments. However, political leaders across party lines have condemned the statement and reiterated India’s resolve to counter terrorism with a united front.
On April 22, heavily armed terrorists opened fire on tourists in the Baisaran meadows near Pahalgam, killing 26 and wounding several others. The attack, one of the deadliest since Pulwama in 2019, has drawn widespread international condemnation.
The Resistance Front, believed to be a front for the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba, later claimed responsibility. The attack has since reignited debates around Pakistan’s role in harbouring terrorist groups and prompted calls for stricter counterterrorism policies.
With diplomatic relations plummeting and rhetoric heating up, analysts warn of a potential escalation along the Line of Control. Calls for international mediation are growing louder, even as India asserts its right to defend its sovereignty.
