Pak Deputy PM calls Pahalgam terrorists 'freedom fighters'

Islamabad: In a highly controversial remark, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar has described the terrorists responsible for the killing of 26 civilians in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam as "freedom fighters." His statement comes despite Pakistan’s official condemnation of the attack and denial of providing shelter to terrorist organizations.
“Those who carried out the April 22 attack in Pahalgam district of Jammu and Kashmir may be freedom fighters,” Dar said while addressing a press conference in Islamabad. He also issued a stern warning, asserting that if India threatens or attacks Pakistan, the country will retaliate with full force.
Earlier, Pakistan had warned that any attempt by India to block its rightful share of water under the Indus Waters Treaty would be deemed an “act of war.” This warning came after India announced its decision to suspend the decades-old treaty in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.
Echoing Dar's sentiments, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif accused India of planning strikes across Pakistani territory. He warned that any mistreatment of Pakistani citizens would result in consequences, stating that Indian nationals would also not be safe.
The Pahalgam terror attack, which occurred on April 22, claimed the lives of 26 civilians, most of whom were tourists. It marks the deadliest attack in the Kashmir Valley since the 2019 Pulwama suicide bombing. The Resistance Front (TRF), an affiliate of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), has claimed responsibility for the massacre.