ISLAMABAD, April 30 —
Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, currently incarcerated in
multiple cases since August 2023, has condemned the recent Pahalgam attack as “tragic” and warned India against aggressive posturing, stating that the ‘abrogation of Article 370 has only deepened Kashmiri aspirations for freedom.’
“The loss of human life in the Pahalgam incident is deeply disturbing and tragic. I extend my deepest condolences to the victims and their families,”
Khan said in a statement posted on his official X account.
He reiterated his longstanding position on Kashmir.
“I have always noted the importance of Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, as guaranteed by United Nations resolutions. Indian oppression in Kashmir, intensified after the illegal abrogation of Article 370, has further fuelled the Kashmiri people’s desire for freedom,”
he stated.
Drawing parallels with the 2019 Pulwama attack, Khan claimed that history was repeating itself.
“When the false flag Pulwama operation happened, we offered to extend all-out cooperation to India, but India failed to produce any concrete evidence,”
he said.“As I predicted in 2019, the same is happening again after Pahalgam. Instead of introspection and investigation, Modi Sarkar is again placing the blame on Pakistan.”
Khan stated that peace remains Pakistan’s priority, but warned against mistaking restraint for weakness.
“Pakistan has got all the capabilities to give a befitting response to any Indian misadventure, as my government, backed by the whole nation, did in 2019,” he said.
“Being a country of 1.5 billion people, India needs to act responsibly, especially when the region is already a nuclear flashpoint,” he said further.
Khan also used the moment to comment on domestic politics, alleging that Pakistan is under the grip of an “illegitimate government.”
“Sadly, the nation has been divided by a regime imposed through fraudulent Form-47 results. And yet, ironically, Narendra Modi’s aggression has united the people of Pakistan in one voice against Indian hostility,” he said.
Turning to internal unity, Khan argued that a fractured domestic front would weaken Pakistan’s ability to face external threats.
“To win a war against an external enemy, the nation must first be united. It is high time to halt all actions that are further polarising the nation. The state’s excessive focus on political victimisation is undermining our collective strength,” he added.
He further castigated political rivals Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari, accusing them of remaining silent due to their alleged foreign interests.
“It is naive to expect any strong stance from self-serving figures like Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari. Their illegal wealth and business interests lie abroad. They fear Indian lobbies may freeze their offshore assets if they dare to speak the truth,” Khan said.
Khan’s remarks come as tensions between India and Pakistan soar in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. The Pakistani government has claimed it possesses “credible intelligence” suggesting India is planning an imminent military strike.
“Any act of aggression will be met with a decisive response,” Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said.
In India, the government has signaled a hardened stance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in a high-level closed-door meeting, reportedly gave the military “complete operational freedom” to respond to the attack.