Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif's X account 'withheld' in India after Pahalgam attack

Days after the Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 people, the X account of Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has been withheld in India. This comes after India announced a ban on 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for spreading provocative and communally sensitive content and misinformation. Collectively, these channels had a massive following of over 63 million subscribers.

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Last week, the Pakistani defence minister made a huge admission by stating that Pakistan has been funding and backing terror groups in a viral video clip. In a video clip that has now gone viral, Pakistan's defence minister was in conversation with Sky News's Yalda Hakim, when she asks him, "But you do admit, you do admit, sir, that Pakistan has had a long history of backing and supporting and training and funding these terrorist organisations? Khawaja Asif in his reply says, "We have been doing this dirty work for the United States for about 3 decades... and the west, including Britain...That was a mistake, and we suffered for that, and that is why you are saying this to me. If we had not joined the war against the Soviet Union and later on the war after 9/11, Pakistan's track record was unimpeachable."

Khawaja Asif's "imminent Indian military incursion" remark

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After claiming an “imminent Indian military incursion”, Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif backtracked from his statement claiming that his remarks were "misinterpretated". Asif told the Geo News, “I think it has been misinterpreted on some other channel...They asked me what are the chances of war, so I said that the next two to three days were crucial." In an interview with Reuters, Asif had said, "We have reinforced our forces because it is something which is imminent now. So in that situation some strategic decisions have to be taken, so those decisions have been taken."

Pahalgam terror attack: Pakistan's response and India's action

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The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the banned Pakistan-based terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the horrific terror attack. However, they have denied their involvement on April 26. The Jammu and Kashmir Police released sketches of three suspects linked to the attack and announced a reward of Rs 20 lakhs for those who give any information about them. Two terrorists involved in the attack are Pakistani nationals: Hashim Musa alias Suleman and Ali Bhai alias Talha. The third, Abdul Hussain Thokar, is a resident of Anantnag in Kashmir. His home along with the homes of four other terrorists, have been demolished in the crackdown by J&K Police.

In a stern response to Pakistan after the attack, India has halted the Indus Waters Treaty, downgraded diplomatic ties, expelled its diplomats, called back Indian officials from Islamabad and closed Attari border. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, "I say to the whole world. India will identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers. We will pursue them to the ends of the earth."

Pakistan, in its first response, said that it had "nothing to do" with the attack. The neighbouring country claimed that the attack was a reaction by those who opposed the Indian government. Notably, Pakistan did not condemn the attack. Moreover, in a tit-for-tat move, Pakistan announced reciprocal action against India similar to the action taken by New Delhi and warned of ending the Simla Agreement. On Saturday, Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif issued his first reaction and accused India of "levelling false allegations," and called for a "credible probe." He also threatened to use "force and might" over the Indus Waters Treaty.