Pak did not even recognise Pahalgam terror attack: Omar Abdullah sharply rejects Shehbaz Sharif's ‘neutral’ probe offer

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, while rejecting Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's reported ‘neutral’ probe offer into the Pahalgam terror attack, said “they did not even recognise that something had happened in Pahalgam", according to an ANI report. 

While criticising Pakistan for shifting the blame onto India, CM Abdullah said he does not want to give “much importance to Pakistan's statements", adding that “they (Pakistan) said that India was behind it”.

A terrorist attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam district killed 26 civilians, mostly tourists, on April 22.  

"For the people who made allegations against us in the first place, it is difficult to say anything about it now," CM Abdullah told ANI, calling the Pahalgam terror attack “unfortunate” and stressing that such incidents should never happen.

CM Abdullah's appeal to tourists

Speaking from Ramban, in an appeal to the tourists, CM Abdullah said if they leave Kashmir during these times, then “it may make our enemies win”.

“I can understand the fear among the tourists. Those who come here on a vacation don't want to experience any fear. But I want to tell them that if they leave Kashmir during these times, then it may make our enemies win. They targeted tourists because they wanted to send all the tourists out of Kashmir,” the ANI report quoted him as saying.

“Helicopters could not land here. After the incident of Pahalgam, I got the chance to come here today. I want to assure the people that we are with them,” he added.

Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif's ‘neutral’ probe offer

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday expressed Islamabad's willingness to participate in a “neutral, transparent, and credible" probe into to Pahalgam terror attack, a Dawn report said.

Addressing a passing-out parade at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, situated in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, PM Sharif said, “Continuing with its role as a responsible country, Pakistan is open to participating in any neutral, transparent and credible investigation.”

Sharif further claimed that Pakistan has “endured immense loss” and called the country as the “world's frontline state against terrorism”.

"As the world's frontline state against terrorism, we have endured immense loss, without 90,000 casualties and economic losses beyond imagination, exceeding USD 600 billion," the Dawn report quoted Shehbaz Sharif as saying.

Pak's Defence Minister accepts country funding, backing terrorists

Sharif's offer for a probe comes a day after Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif admitted that his country has been funding and backing terrorist groups.

Asif was reportedly talking to Sky News's Yalda Hakim, who had asked him, "But you do admit, you do admit, sir, that Pakistan has had a long history of backing and supporting and training and funding these terrorist organisations?"

An ANI report, citing the viral video clip, quoted Asif as saying, “We have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about three decades, and the West, including Britain. That was a mistake, and we suffered for that, and that is why you are saying this to me. If we had not joined the war against the Soviet Union and later on the war after 9/11, Pakistan's track record was unimpeachable.”

Asif, in the same interview, also warned of an “all-out war” with India, the report said. 

(With inputs from agencies)