Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday dismissed India's claims of Islamabad's involvement in the Pahalgam terror attack. Sharif claimed that India has failed to produce any concrete evidence and is “falsely" attempting to link Pakistan to the attack. He reaffirmed Islamabad's call for a "neutral and transparent" international inquiry into the incident.

As reported by Radio Pakistan in his remarks to the media following a meeting with Turkish Ambassador Dr. Irfan Neziroglu, the Pakistani Chief indicated New Delhi had not answered Islamabad's offer of a credible, transparent, and neutral inquiry. He expressed that Pakistan stood willing to cooperate with an investigation in all ways.

Pakistan Calls For International Inquiry 

The Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based terror outfit banned under UN resolutions, had claimed the lives of 26 civilians at one of Kashmir's most beautiful sites. But Islamabad has continually insisted that they have nothing to do with the incident and has insisted on a joint or UN-monitored investigation to ascertain facts. According to Radio Pakistan, Sharif said during his meeting with Turkish Ambassador that “India has yet to respond to Pakistan’s proposal for a credible, neutral international probe to ascertain the facts". “We would fully cooperate with such an investigation and would welcome the participation of friendly nations like Turkiye,” he added.

Also read: Pakistan Defence Minister Threatens India Over Indus Waters Treaty: 'Will Strike Any Structure They Built…'

Defending Islamabad, Shehbaz Sharif mentioned Pakistan's long struggle against terrorism, which he claimed cost more than 90,000 lives and economic losses of more than 152 billion USD. Ambassador Neziroglu conveyed Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s message of solidarity with Pakistan. "Turkiye stands with Pakistan at this critical moment and backs its appeal for an impartial inquiry into the Pahalgam incident," the ambassador added.

In response to the Pahalgam attack, India announced a series of strong retaliatory actions, suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down the Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Attari, halting visa issuance for Pakistani nationals, and reducing diplomatic presence in Islamabad. The Prime Minister said that despite India's provocative actions following the Pahalgam incident, Pakistan's response was responsible and measured. On the other hand, India remains firm in their statement that the attack was coordinated by Pakistan-based terror groups. According to CNN-News18, Indian officials claim that in past instances, Pakistan neither submitted a final report nor issued any formal communication.

Also read: ‘Put Pressure On India’: Pakistan PM Urges Gulf Allies And China After Pahalgam Attack