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A day after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed willingness for a “neutral, transparent and credible investigation” into the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, China has now thrown its support behind the idea of a prompt and impartial inquiry.
The statement from Beijing came after Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi held a phone conversation with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Sunday, during which both sides discussed the rising tensions between India and Pakistan.
China Calls for Restraint and a Fair Probe
China’s foreign minister said that as “an ironclad friend and all-weather strategic cooperative partner” of Pakistan, Beijing understands Pakistan’s “legitimate security concerns.”
According to the Chinese state-run Global Times, Wang Yi said, “China supports the prompt initiation of an impartial investigation, emphasizing that conflict serves neither the fundamental interests of India and Pakistan nor regional peace and stability,” while urging both countries to “exercise restraint, move toward each other, and work to de-escalate tensions.”
Pakistan Briefs China on Rising Tensions
During their call, Ishaq Dar updated Wang Yi on the situation following the Pahalgam attack. Dar reportedly emphasized that Pakistan remains firm in its fight against terrorism and opposes any steps that could worsen tensions with India.
The Global Times reported Dar as saying that Pakistan is committed to handling the matter with a “mature approach” and would keep in close communication with China and the broader international community to avoid escalation.
Reiterating its position, China’s Wang Yi said, “Combating terrorism constitutes a shared responsibility of all nations, and China consistently supports Pakistan’s firm counter-terrorism actions.” He also stated that “China is closely following the evolving situation.”
India Highlights “Cross-Border” Links to Attack
Meanwhile, India has indicated to foreign governments that it possesses a blend of “technical intelligence” and “credible inputs” showing a clear link between the Pahalgam attackers and Pakistan.
According to a report by The Indian Express, India’s evidence points directly to cross-border involvement, as the attack resulted in the death of 26 people, including 25 Indians and one Nepalese citizen.
Pakistan’s First Public Offer of Cooperation
Shehbaz Sharif’s offer for an independent investigation comes amid mounting pressure. In a speech to army cadets during a passing-out parade at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul, Sharif said on Saturday, “The recent tragedy in Pahalgam is yet another example of this perpetual blame game which must come to a grinding halt. And now continuing with its role as a responsible country, Pakistan is open to participate in any neutral, transparent and credible investigation.”
Sharif’s remarks were made from a prepared text, suggesting that the speech had been carefully vetted and approved by Pakistan’s top establishment. Senior military officials were also present at the event, signaling the seriousness of the statement.
History of Pakistan’s Offers for Joint Investigations
This is not the first time Pakistan has publicly offered to cooperate in investigations following major terror attacks involving Indian citizens.
After the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, in which 166 civilians were killed, then President Asif Ali Zardari had extended an offer to cooperate with India. Pakistan made similar overtures after the 2016 Pathankot attack, where eight Indian Army personnel and four terrorists lost their lives. A Pakistani team was even allowed to visit the Pathankot airbase to investigate.
Following the deadly Uri attack in September 2016, which killed 19 Indian soldiers, Pakistan again suggested a joint probe. And after the Pulwama terror attack in February 2019, where 40 CRPF personnel were killed, former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan said Pakistan was ready to assist the Indian investigation if provided with “actionable intelligence.”
Pakistani Defence Minister Calls for International Involvement
Adding to Islamabad’s diplomatic push, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, in a recent interview with Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency, said: “I think Russia or China or even Western countries can play a very, very positive role in this crisis and they can even set up an investigation team that should be assigned this job to investigate whether India or Modi is lying or he is telling the truth. Let an international team find out.”
The remarks from Sharif, Dar, and Asif show Pakistan’s attempt to build international pressure for an external investigation at a time when India is stressing the evidence of cross-border terror links in the Pahalgam attack.
