The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday slammed India for resorting to a campaign of baseless allegations and propaganda linking Pakistan with the April 2025 Pahalgam incident. The Foreign Office’s sharp rebuttal of India’s claims highlights what it describes as a recurring campaign aimed at linking Pakistan to incidents without credible evidence. At a time when Islamabad is engaged in sustained diplomatic efforts, such accusations are both cynical and dangerous. What is particularly concerning is the persistence of this narrative despite past consequences. The reference to the anniversary of the Pahalgam attack by the Indian army and the subsequent remarks has once again revived tensions that the region can ill afford. Islamabad’s position is that these claims are being weaponised for narrow domestic political gains, a charge that gains weight when viewed alongside past precedents.
The shadow of Pulwama looms large. In 2019, the immediate attribution of blame to Pakistan by Indian media and the government of Narendra Modi, without conclusive evidence, triggered a dangerous escalation. The resulting crisis brought two nuclear-armed neighbours to the brink of full-scale war – a scenario that should have served as a lasting cautionary tale. Following the Pahalgam attack, Pakistan had expressed sympathy with the victims’ families and called for an independent investigation – a proposal that, notably, did not find acceptance in New Delhi. Yet, within minutes of the incident, sections of Indian media had already assigned blame. The rhetoric has since been amplified by statements such as those attributed to India’s Chief of Defence Staff Anil Chauhan, regarding military preparedness and the mention of Operation Sindoor. Whether interpreted as strategic signalling or domestic posturing, such remarks add to an already volatile environment.
The broader context too cannot be ignored. Critics rightly point out that domestic political pressures within India have historically coincided with heightened hostility towards Pakistan. The May 2025 war further complicated the picture. Given the way India was defeated, if anything, that episode should have reinforced the need for caution, verification and dialogue instead of renewed brinkmanship. Pakistan, for its part, continues to remain committed to restraint and diplomacy. At the same time, it has rightly signalled that restraint should not be mistaken for passivity. The warning against any misadventure is also important and India must realise that Pakistan is willing to show restraint always but is also always ready to respond if provoked. Ultimately, this region stands at a crossroads between repetition and reflection. If India inists on repeating the cycle of accusation, escalation and near-conflict, all it is really doing is deepening the instability. Reflection, on the other hand, would require Modi and his government to prioritise dialogue over confrontation. South Asia has seen where unchecked narratives can lead. Is India ready to grow up and let go of its obsession with Pakistan?
