Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif expresses gratitude to Turkey for 'unwavering support' on Kashmir issue at the heels of Pahalgam terror attack

When the entire world mourned the loss of lives in the barbaric Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan raised the Kashmir issue during its meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara and thanked him for his "unwavering support".

During a joint press conference with Erdogan in Ankara, Sharif "expressed gratitude for Turkey's unwavering support on the Kashmir issue," according to Pakistan-based Express Tribune.

The report also said that Erdogan "expressed Turkey's full support for Pakistan's efforts to eliminate terrorism."

In a statement that lacked condemnation, Pakistan, in its first reaction to the terror attack, said that it had "absolutely nothing to do with it".

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said, “Pakistan has no link with the Pahalgam terror attack," claiming that it was a reaction by those who opposed the Indian government, citing unrest in regions like Nagaland, Kashmir, and Manipur.

Describing the attack as "homegrown," he said, "the Central government in India is facing protests in many states, including Nagaland, Manipur, Kashmir, and Chhattisgarh. This is home-grown as the government is exploiting many."

“We do not support terrorism in any form, and locals should not be a target for terrorists, and we have no doubt about it," he said.

The terrorists, affiliated with The Resistance Front, an offshoot of the banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) group, targeted tourists in the Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam in one of the deadliest attacks in Kashmir in recent years.

At least five to seven terrorists wearing camouflage outfits and kurta-pyjamas came from the dense pine forest and opened fire on tourists with AK-47, killing at least 27.