Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United Nations, Maleeha Lodhi, on Monday accused India of heightening tensions between the two nations without furnishing evidence to back its allegations over the Pahalgam terror attack.
In an interview with a privately owned Pakistani media channel, Lodhi alleged that India had no proof linking Pakistan to the recent attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Baisaran valley, where 26 civilians were gunned down.
“India escalated tensions in the region based on allegations,” she remarked, asserting that the accusations lacked “a factual basis”. Lodhi said, “There is no evidence produced or shared by the Indian side of Pakistani involvement in the deadly terror attack.”
India had earlier this week announced a blanket ban on Pakistani imports, citing Islamabad’s alleged role in orchestrating the 22 April assault that left 26 tourists dead and 20 others injured during a sightseeing trip.
The former diplomat said, “Now the ball is in India’s court after Pakistan offered a neutral investigation into the Pahalgam attack.”
Lodhi further claimed that global powers, including the United States, wished to avoid any escalation in the region. “The United States and the world's countries wanted peace in the region. They don’t want to see escalations between the two countries,” she said.
Also read: UNSC to hold India-Pakistan talks behind closed doors today
Calling Washington the “only country in the world that can impress upon India to exercise restraint”, Lodhi also issued a stern warning. “Pakistan is fully prepared to handle any kind of situation.”
The April 22 massacre in Baisaran valley marks one of the deadliest attacks in the Union Territory in recent years, occurring against the backdrop of rising militancy that has plagued the Kashmir Valley since 1989.
Since the onset of the insurgency, estimates of the death toll have varied between 41,000 and 50,000, with fatalities spanning civilians, militants, and security forces. Government records indicate approximately 41,000 deaths, including 14,000 civilians, 5,000 security personnel, and 22,000 militants.
However, some non-governmental organisations place the number higher, citing the protracted nature of the conflict and the heavy toll it has exacted, especially during the 1990s and early 2000s.
Follow us
