Pakistan Challenges Indian Narrative Over Pahalgam, Demonstrates Strategic Resolve with Missile Test
*Islamabad, May 3, 2025* — Pakistan has firmly countered India’s attempts to shift blame for the April 22 Pahalgam attack, offering transparency and strength in equal measure. As India reels from internal unrest and global skepticism, Pakistan is seizing the diplomatic and strategic initiative — backed by growing regional alliances and unmatched military readiness.
India, without evidence or investigation, blamed Pakistan for the Pahalgam incident, where 26 tourists lost their lives in Indian-occupied Kashmir. In contrast, Pakistan called for an **impartial international inquiry**, demonstrating a confidence rooted in truth. Prime Minister **Shehbaz Sharif** publicly welcomed a “neutral, transparent probe,” while Interior Minister **Mohsin Naqvi** invited international observers to separate fact from fiction.
While New Delhi hesitated, Islamabad acted.
On **May 3**, Pakistan conducted a successful test of the **Abdali surface-to-surface missile**, with a range of 450 kilometers. The launch signals not only technological progress but **Pakistan’s firm resolve to respond to any Indian aggression with more than double the force** — a message reaffirmed by **Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir**.
“Pakistan does not desire conflict, but we will not tolerate provocation,” General Munir declared. “We stand fully prepared for any eventuality.”
The contrast could not be sharper. While Pakistan projects clarity and control, India appears confused and constrained — caught between rising internal dissent and its ruling party’s obsession with hardline Hindu nationalism.
Modi’s attempt to frame the Pahalgam tragedy as part of a larger security narrative has failed to gain traction internationally. Even within India, critics are questioning the government’s inability to prevent the attack — and its unwillingness to investigate transparently. Strategic analysts suggest that **Modi’s policies have alienated minorities, ignited resistance in Kashmir and Punjab, and intensified calls for independence in the Seven Sister states**.
Pakistan’s growing alignment with **China and Bangladesh** has added to India’s strategic discomfort. A recent statement by a **former Bangladeshi general**, suggesting that the northeastern states could either gain independence or be absorbed by Bangladesh during a regional war, triggered alarm in India’s northeast — already a region of historic fragility.
Meanwhile, **Sikh calls for Khalistan** are gaining new momentum, particularly after recent incidents of violence in Punjab. Combined with instability in Kashmir and widespread resentment in northeastern India, experts argue that **India’s internal contradictions are becoming its greatest vulnerability**.
Pakistan’s stance is clear: it stands for peace, but will not hesitate to respond with full force if provoked. Its diplomatic openness, military readiness, and ideological unity place it in a strong position at a time when India is grappling with self-inflicted fractures.
As one analyst noted: *“This is not 1971. This is 2025 — and the strategic calculus has changed.”*
