Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar has said that India initiated aggression by targeting civilian populations inside Pakistan and then resorted to fabricating baseless allegations, while Pakistan responded with restraint and strictly in accordance with the United Nations Charter.
In an interview with BBC, the minister said India’s actions violated international law, whereas Pakistan’s response was proportionate and confined solely to Indian military installations. “We categorically reject India’s baseless allegations of targeting civilian areas. Pakistan did not target any civilian population within India,” he stated.
Tarar clarified that Pakistan exercised its right to self-defence after Indian provocations. “We deliberately targeted only Indian military installations. Our response was limited and proportionate,” he asserted.
He further revealed that India itself had struck the Amritsar region, and then tried to shift blame onto Pakistan for the Pahalgam incident—an event that occurred over 200 kilometres from the Pakistan border. “There is no evidence whatsoever linking Pakistan to that event,” he said, adding that India’s hasty registration of an FIR just ten minutes after the incident “casts serious doubt on the credibility of its investigation.”
“Pakistan had no role in the Pahalgam attack, and yet we offered transparent, joint investigations to expose the truth,” Tarar noted.
The minister said Pakistan was attacked but responded with maximum restraint. “Throughout this crisis, we demonstrated responsibility and patience,” he said, adding that Pakistan continued diplomatic engagement with key countries to ensure regional stability and expose India’s belligerence.
