Pakistan PM Offers to Join "Neutral Investigation" into Pahalgam Attack, Warns India on Water Treaty

Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has proposed participating in a "neutral, transparent and credible investigation" into the Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 people, calling the Indian accusations part of a "perpetual blame game."

Speaking at a military graduation ceremony in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa's Kakul on Saturday, Sharif took a defiant stance on India's recent suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, warning that any attempt to "stop, reduce or divert" Pakistan's water share would face retaliation with "full force and might."

"Water is our lifeline and a vital national interest, and its availability will be safeguarded at all costs and under all circumstances," Sharif declared to the cadets of the Pakistan Military Academy. His statements came just a day after Pakistan's own Defence Minister Khwaja Asif made the surprising admission that Pakistan has funded and supported terrorist groups.

Pakistan 's Prime Minister attempted to present Pakistan as victim of terrorism rather than the perpetrator, stating that "Pakistan has always condemned terrorism in all its forms and has suffered over 90,000 casualities and economic losses more then USD 600 billion."

In what appeared to be a carefully choreographed balancing act, Sharif alternated between peace overtures and veiled threats, stating that "peace is our preference but must not be construed as our weakness" and that Pakistan would "never compromise on our dignity and security."

He accused India of continuing "a pattern of exploitation, levelling baseless allegations and false accusations without a credible investigation or verifiable evidence," while simultaneously reviving Pakistan's long-standing position on Kashmir, which he called the "jugular vein of Pakistan" – echoing the words of Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

The speech comes as Pakistan faces increasing diplomatic isolation following India's decisive measures after the Pahalgam attack, including visa cancellations for Pakistani nationals and the suspension of the decades-old water treaty.