Pakistan open to neutral probe into Pahalgam attack: PM

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressed his country’s willingness to participate in a "neutral, transparent, and credible" investigation into the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, which claimed the lives of 26 people, including a Nepalese national.

The incident, one of the most devastating since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, has intensified tensions between India and Pakistan. New Delhi has accused Islamabad of backing the militant group responsible for the assault and has initiated heightened diplomatic and security measures in response.

Addressing cadets at a graduation ceremony at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Sharif dismissed what he called a “perpetual blame game” and reiterated Pakistan’s stance against terrorism.

"The recent tragedy in Pahalgam is yet another example of this blame game, which must come to a grinding halt. As a responsible nation, Pakistan is open to participating in any neutral, transparent, and credible investigation," Sharif said, according to a report by NDTV.

The Resistance Front (TRF), believed to be a proxy of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, has claimed responsibility for the attack. Indian military sources have alleged that Pakistani troops fired across the Line of Control for the second consecutive night following the incident.

India’s intelligence agencies have identified Adil Ahmed Thoker as a key suspect in the attack. Reports suggest that Thoker crossed into Pakistan, received military training from terror groups, and re-entered India six years later alongside several Pakistani militants.

Sharif reiterated Pakistan's official stance against terrorism: "Pakistan has always condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations."

His comments echo those of Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who told The New York Times earlier this week that Islamabad is "ready to cooperate" with "any investigation conducted by international inspectors."