ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has voiced its deep concern regarding the attack on tourists in the Pahalgam area of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which resulted in significant casualties.
Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan, addressing inquiries from the media, expressed sadness over the tragic incident and extended condolences to the families of the victims. “We are troubled by the loss of lives in the attack that occurred in Anantnag district of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir,” he stated. “Our thoughts are with the bereaved families, and we wish a swift recovery for the injured.”
Reports indicate that at least 26 individuals, including an officer from the Indian Navy, lost their lives, while 17 others sustained injuries when gunmen opened fire on tourists in what is regarded as one of the most severe attacks in the region in nearly two decades.
The incident occurred on a Tuesday in Pahalgam, a well-known tourist destination approximately 90 kilometers from Srinagar.
According to police, the attack unfolded in a secluded meadow, and the victims comprised 25 Indian nationals and one Nepalese citizen.
A lesser-known militant group, “Kashmir Resistance,” claimed responsibility for the attack through a message shared on social media, expressing grievances over the increased presence of “outsiders” in the region, which they assert has exceeded 85,000.
