- Analysts denounce India for blaming Pakistan without evidence.
- Say anti-Pakistan propaganda started immediately after attack.
- Warn New Delhi of embarrassment if it attempts any misadventure.
Defence analysts are sceptical of the recent attack in Pahalgam, a hill station in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), that resulted in the deaths of 26 tourists, including a navy officer, suggesting it could be part of a planned false flag operation by India.
At least 17 people were also injured in the shooting on Tuesday in the Baisaran valley in the Pahalgam area. The dead included 25 Indians and one Nepalese national, police said.
It was the worst attack on civilians in India since the 2008 Mumbai shootings, and shattered the relative calm in Kashmir, where tourism has boomed as an anti-India insurgency, opens new tab has waned in recent years.
Defence expert, Brigadier (retd) Ahmed Saeed Minhas, denounced Indian media for blaming Pakistan without evidence, pointing out that the attack occurred 400 kilometres inside IIOJK.
Talking to Geo News, Brig Minhas referred to India’s past response, mentioning that Pakistan showed great restraint in 2019 by returning Indian pilot Abhinandan safely.
Another analyst, Brigadier (retd) Rashid Wali, also raised questions about India’s approach, noting that propaganda against Pakistan started doing the rounds almost immediately after the attack, with Indian media spreading baseless claims.
“If India attempts any action, it may face embarrassment like the Balakot episode,” he warned.
Former senator, Mushahid Hussain Syed, who is also a veteran foreign affairs expert, condemned India’s practice of jumping to blaming Pakistan following terror incidents in India or IIOJK.
He called it an “automated response” by the Indian government and mentioned that such actions, like the Jaffer Express attack and now the Pahalgam incident, fit into India’s routine of shifting blame without investigation.
Commenting on India’s allegations, national security expert Syed Muhammad Ali said that New Delhi’s alleged “false flag operation” serves to defame Islam, Pakistan, and the Kashmiri people, while distracting from domestic issues.
He also pointed out that India might be trying to reduce international pressure on trade matters, particularly with the US.
Pakistan on Wednesday expressed concern over the loss of lives in an attack in the Pahalgam area of the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which claimed the lives of 26 people.
Responding to media queries, Foreign Office (FO) spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said Pakistan was saddened by the incident and expressed sympathy with the families of the deceased.
“We are concerned at the loss of tourists’ lives in an attack in Anantnag district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” the spokesperson said.
“We extend our condolences to the near ones of the deceased and wish the injured a speedy recovery.”
A little-known group, the “Kashmir Resistance,” claimed responsibility for the attack in a social media message. It expressed discontent that more than 85,000 “outsiders” had been settled in the region, spurring a “demographic change”.
India revoked Kashmir’s special status in 2019, splitting the state into two federally administered territories — Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
The move allowed local authorities to issue domicile rights to outsiders, allowing them to get jobs and buy land in the disputed Himalayan territory. That led to a deterioration of ties with Pakistan. The dispute has spurred bitter animosity and military conflict between the nuclear-armed neighbours.
Attacks targeting tourists in IIOJK have been rare. The last deadly incident took place in June 2024 when at least nine people were killed and 33 injured after an attack caused a bus carrying Hindu pilgrims to plunge into a deep gorge.
Reacting to the incident, PM Modi said: “Their evil agenda will never succeed. Our resolve to fight terrorism is unshakable and it will get even stronger.”
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump called Modi to quickly offer “full support to India to bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous attack”.
Other foreign leaders, including EU chief Ursula von der Leyen, also condemned the attack.
