Tarar further asserts that “false flag operations are part of India’s history.”
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar addresses a press conference on Wednesday, December 17, 2025.
ISLAMABAD:
Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Wednesday marked the first anniversary of what he described as the “Pahalgam false flag operation”, saying India had failed to present evidence for its allegations against Pakistan over the Pahalgam attack.
Speaking in a special address, Tarar said the Pahalgam incident “reflects hollow thinking, illogical reasoning, false ego, arrogance and greed”, adding that India has not provided satisfactory answers to questions raised over the attack.
He said India “has continued to present its internal issues as external issues and external issues as internal issues”, asserting that terrorism is “an internal issue of India which it presents as an external problem”. In contrast, he described the Jammu and Kashmir conflict as “a recognized international issue that India presents as an internal issue.”
Tarar further claimed that “false flag operations are part of India’s history” and called the handling of the Pahalgam incident “rude”. He said India did not respond positively when Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif proposed an “independent and impartial investigation”, adding that “India’s refusal to conduct an investigation is proof that the Pahalgam incident was a false flag operation”.
Highlighting procedural issues, he said the registration of a first information report (FIR) within 10 minutes of the incident indicated that “its text had already been prepared”, terming the moment “unusual and surprising” given the distance between the scene of the attack and the police station.
He added that “international media, Indian civil society, politicians and think tanks have also raised serious questions about the Pahalgam incident”, saying “it is extremely difficult to make baseless propaganda acceptable globally”.
According to Tarar, India has failed to develop an effective narrative on the issue and has not presented “credible or robust evidence”. He accused Indian media of acting as a “propaganda tool”, saying they were “creating an atmosphere of war” and spreading “false and baseless information”.
Read: Trump heeds CDF Munir, PM’s call for truce
The minister also claimed that minorities in India were discriminated against under what he described as Hindutva ideology, saying Muslims were subjected to violence. He further said that India “uses terrorism as a state policy” and has been involved in such incidents globally.
Tarar cited the arrest of Kulbhushan Jadhav as revealing India’s involvement in terrorism and asserted that Pakistan has “irrefutable evidence” of India’s role in terrorist activities in Pakistan, including incidents such as the Jaffar Express train attack and the Khuzdar incident.
He said Pakistan continues to confront terrorism with determination and is taking practical steps, adding that “the entire nation is united in its determination to completely eliminate terrorism.”
Tarar warned that any “misadventure” by India would be met with an “immediate, effective and decisive response”, and said Pakistan would not compromise on its sovereignty, dignity or security.
He concluded by saying that Pakistan has become globally “a symbol of peace” and the country’s political and military leaders, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir, remain united in efforts to safeguard national security.
Pakistan-India conflict
The latest escalation between Pakistan and India began on April 22, when an attack in Pahalgam killed 26 people. India immediately blamed Pakistan for the incident. However, Pakistan has categorically rejected Indian responsibility.
In response, India undertook a series of hostile actions the next day, April 23, including suspending the 65-year-old Indus Water Treaty (IWT), canceling visas of Pakistani citizens, closing the Wagah-Attari border post, ordering the closure of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, and reducing diplomatic staff at the embassies of both countries.
Tensions further escalated in the early hours of May 7, when missile strikes hit six towns in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), destroying a mosque and killing dozens of civilians, including women, children and the elderly.
Learn more: French intelligence official confirms Pakistan’s shooting down of Rafale
In a swift military response, Pakistani armed forces shot down Indian fighter jets, including three Rafales. The confrontation further intensified in the early hours of May 10, when India targeted several Pakistani airbases with missile strikes. In retaliation, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, damaging Indian military installations including missile storage sites, airbases and other strategic targets.
On May 10, US President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire had been reached following intense diplomatic efforts overnight. Minutes later, the deal was separately confirmed by Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Indian Foreign Minister.
