Prime Minister’s speech in Kakul turned out to be a ‘turning point’ in Pakistan’s stance on Pahalgam incident: Tarar

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Sunday said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s speech in Kakul turned out to be a “turning point” in Pakistan’s diplomatic stance as he had offered an independent probe into the Pahalgam incident but India did not respond.

“This strengthened Pakistan’s position internationally and showed that India’s allegations were baseless when an investigation was offered,” Tarar said during a press conference in Islamabad.

Tarar added that on April 26, 2025, the prime minister delivered a “historic speech” in Kakul, responding to what he described as Pahalgam’s “false flag operation” and emphasizing that blame games and unverified allegations must come to an end.

Referring to the attack, he said Pakistan expressed sympathy for the victims and considered the incident as a tragedy, adding that the prime minister had called for restraint in blame games and urged that accusations not be made without evidence.

He contrasted Pakistan’s position with that of India, alleging that Islamabad had consistently condemned terrorism while suffering heavy losses in the fight against it, saying that Pakistan had lost more than 90,000 lives and faced economic losses exceeding $600 billion due to terrorism.

The minister said Pakistan remains a frontline state against terrorism and continues to fight extremist networks, alleging external links with groups such as the BLA and TTP.

Tarar said that on April 24, 2025, Pakistan’s National Security Committee held a meeting in which the country gave a “comprehensive response” to the Indian allegations.

He also addressed water concerns, saying Pakistan considers water security a “red line” and would not allow violations of the Indus Waters Treaty. He added that the prime minister had warned that any attempt to restrict Pakistan’s water rights would be met with a response, warning India against using water as a weapon.

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Tarar said Pakistan’s armed forces remain fully capable of responding to any aggression, adding that the nation remains united behind its military leadership.

The minister added that Pakistan’s narrative on terrorism and regional security had gained international recognition over the past year, while what he called “baseless allegations” against Pakistan had not been accepted globally.

He further stated that Pakistan’s international image and the respect of Pakistanis abroad had improved, and said that the international community continued to view the country with “dignity and respect”.

He added that Kakul’s speech would be remembered as an important milestone in Pakistan’s policy articulation, reinforcing the country’s stance on peace, security and sovereignty.

Pahalgam Attack

The escalation between Pakistan and India began on April 22, 2025, when an attack in Pahalgam killed 26 people. India immediately blamed Pakistan for the incident. However, Pakistan categorically rejected India’s blame.

In response, India took a series of hostile actions the next day on April 23, 2025, including suspending the 65-year-old Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), canceling visas for Pakistani citizens, closing the Wagah-Attari border crossing, ordering the closure of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, and reducing diplomatic staff in each country’s embassies.

Tensions escalated further in the early hours of May 7, 2025, when missile strikes hit six cities in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), destroying a mosque and killing dozens of civilians, including women, children and the elderly.

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In a swift military response, Pakistan’s armed forces shot down Indian fighter jets, including three Rafale jets. The standoff escalated again in the early hours of May 10, 2025, when India attacked several Pakistani air bases with missile strikes. In retaliation, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, which damaged Indian military installations, including missile storage sites, air bases and other strategic targets.

On May 10, 2025, United States President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire had been reached after intense diplomatic efforts overnight. Minutes later, the agreement was confirmed separately by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and India’s Foreign Minister.