'War situation between India and Pakistan could have taken a very dangerous turn': Pak PM

In a statement that raised more questions than answers, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday called the Pahalgam terror attack "unfortunate" but shifted blame for subsequent tensions to India.

Speaking in Muzaffarabad, in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), Sharif claimed that the situation between the two nations could have spiraled into a "very dangerous war," conveniently sidestepping Islamabad’s long history of harbouring and sponsoring terrorist groups that target India.

“The Pahalgam incident was unfortunate, but the war situation between the two countries could have taken a very dangerous turn at any moment,” Sharif said while distributing compensation cheques to civilians injured and killed in the conflict.

The Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people, was claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba. Despite mounting evidence, including intercepted communications and financial trails, Islamabad has predictably denied involvement.

Sharif claimed that Pakistan was open to a "neutral international probe" into the incident - an offer that India sees as a diplomatic smokescreen often used by Islamabad to evade accountability. “Pakistan was ready for an international investigation into the Pahalgam incident, but instead of agreeing to it, India attacked Pakistan, which was responded to in a befitting manner,” Sharif said, again portraying Pakistan as a victim.

Sharif handed over cheques of Rs 10 million to the families of those killed during the conflict with India and Rs 1-2 million to the injured.

He said that the Pakistani army personnel killed in clashes with India would be paid Rs 10-18 million, depending on their rank.