Pakistan's incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday termed the Pahalgam terror attack "deeply disturbing and tragic" while saying that India needs to act responsibly. New Delhi has accused Islamabad of backing the attack, a charge refuted by Pakistan.
"Loss of human life in Pahalgam incident is deeply disturbing and tragic. I extend my deepest condolences to the victims and their families," Khan said on his X account.
"As I predicted in 2019, the same is happening again after Pahalgam incident. Instead of introspection and investigation, Modi Sarkar is again placing the blame on Pakistan," he said.
"Peace is our priority but it should not be mistaken as cowardice," he said.
Khan, who has been in jail since August 2023 in multiple cases, further said, "It is high time to put a halt to all actions that are further polarising the nation.."
Castigating ruling PML-N head and former premier Nawaz Sharif and President of Pakistan Asif Zaradri, Khan said: "It is naive to expect any strong stance from self-serving figures like Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari. They will never speak out against India because their illegal wealth and business interests lie abroad.
"They profit from foreign investments, and to protect those financial interests, they remain silent in the face of foreign aggression and baseless allegations against Pakistan."
