Ready to join ‘neutral, transparent’ probe: Pak

Islamabad/Lahore, April 26: Pakistan on Saturday offered to join any “neutral and transparent” probe into the Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 people.
“The recent tragedy in Pahalgam is yet another example of this perpetual blame game, which must come to a grinding halt. Continuing with its role as a responsible country, Pakistan is open to participating in any neutral, transparent and credible investigation,” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said while addressing the army-cadets passing-out parade at the Pakistan Military Academy in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa’s Kakul.
Echoing his views, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in a press conference in Lahore said, “If neutral people of any third country carry out a probe into this incident, we are ready to cooperate with them.”
“Let me tell you…we are warriors and they (Indian) are not. We don’t want war. We don’t support terrorism. If India takes one step towards war, then we are ready to respond with two steps,” he said, adding that Pakistan wants thorough investigation into the Pahalgam attack to reach the “real culprits”.
Talking about the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty by India, Sharif said any attempt to stop, reduce or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan would be responded to with full force and might.
Sharif threatened to use all options if the water of its share was stopped by India.
“Water is our lifeline and a vital national interest, and its availability will be safeguarded at all costs and under all circumstances,” he said.
He said the entire nation stood by the armed forces of Pakistan to safeguard every inch of the homeland. “Our valiant armed forces are capable and remain fully prepared to defend the country’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity against any misadventure,” he said.
The prime minister said he regretted that India continued the pattern of exploitation, levelling baseless allegations and false accusations without a credible investigation or verifiable evidence.
Sharif said Muhammad Ali Jinnah had called Kashmir a jugular vein of Pakistan. He said the “globally recognised dispute” remained unresolved despite UN resolutions.
“Pakistan shall continue to support the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people till they achieve their rights through their great struggle and sacrifices,” the prime minister said. (PTI)