April 22, 2025 — The serene town of Pahalgam, often celebrated as the crown jewel of Kashmir, began its day under clear skies, with bustling tourist activity signaling a promising season ahead. Yet by midday, peace turned to terror. Gunfire erupted across the mountains, leaving 26 innocent tourists dead and dozens injured.
What followed, however, was as unsettling as the attack itself. Within minutes, India’s mainstream media had reached its verdict: Pakistan was to blame.
No formal investigation. No verified evidence. Just incendiary headlines flooding the airwaves:
“Pakistan Behind Pahalgam Massacre,” “Terror Sponsored by Islamabad,” “Retaliation Inevitable.”
The speed and certainty of the accusations felt less like reporting—and more like a rehearsed script. Predictably, Islamabad rejected the allegations—but this time, not with the customary diplomatic restraint.
A History of Blame, a New Tone of Resistance
When the accusations reached Islamabad, the response was markedly different. Rather than measured denials, Pakistan delivered a forceful rebuttal.
“This has all the signs of a false flag operation,” Defense Minister Khawaja Asif told Al Jazeera
Asif highlighted the absence of evidence and accused India of employing a familiar strategy: shifting attention from domestic crises through external scapegoating.
Punjab’s Information Minister Azma Bokhari echoed the sentiment, issuing a stern warning: “If India attempts a misadventure under false pretenses, the consequences will be dire. We will defend not just our borders—but our name.”
The accusations were not mere rhetorical flourishes. They reflected a broader frustration: Pakistan’s growing exhaustion with being the perennial suspect without trial.
Why Would India Stage Such a Narrative?
The timing invites skepticism.
Every time India faces internal challenges—protests, economic downturns, political instability—a violent incident in Kashmir seems to conveniently follow. Before any investigation concludes, Pakistan becomes the designated culprit.
Historical patterns are telling:
- 2001 Parliament Attack — Ahead of crucial state elections.
- 2008 Mumbai Attacks — Amid intelligence agency scandals.
- 2016 Uri Attack — Coinciding with India’s critical UN address on Kashmir.
Now, in 2025, India’s economic slowdown and rising dissent over controversial citizenship laws paint an eerily familiar backdrop.
Is it mere coincidence? Or a pattern too obvious to ignore?
International observers have noted this cycle as well. Outlets such as The Guardian, Al Jazeera, and The Intercept have previously questioned the haste of Indian accusations in the absence of forensic investigations.
Pakistan’s Strategic Pushback
Unlike in previous instances, Pakistan swiftly shifted from defensive rhetoric to proactive diplomacy and narrative management.
1. Diplomatic Offensive
Within 24 hours, Pakistani delegations engaged allies across China, Turkey, Gulf countries, and Europe, urging for restraint against “accusations without investigation.”
A formal request was filed with the United Nations to establish an independent commission to probe the Pahalgam attack.
2. Military Preparedness Without Provocation
An emergency National Security Committee (NSC) meeting convened in Islamabad. While border readiness and rules of engagement were reviewed, the emphasis remained on avoiding any escalation unless provoked.
3. Controlling the Narrative
This time, Pakistani media did not fall into reactive chaos.
Instead, it raised critical, measured questions:
- Where is the CCTV footage from Pahalgam’s highly monitored tourist zones?
- Why did Indian media announce conclusions before law enforcement agencies did?
- Who stands to benefit politically from this tragedy?
Social media amplified these questions. — Hashtags like #PahalgamTruth and #FalseFlagIndia trended across X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit, challenging mainstream narratives.
Media Wars: An Extension of Conflict
If the Line of Control is the visible battleground, television screens and social media platforms are the invisible frontlines.
Indian newsrooms quickly adopted a jingoistic tone. Studio panels became echo chambers demanding “decisive action” against Pakistan.
Meanwhile, Pakistani anchors maintained a critical, even at times sarcastic, tone—highlighting inconsistencies and advocating for investigations over accusations.
A viral moment captured the shift: a Pakistani anchor noted, “India didn’t even bury its dead before pointing fingers at Pakistan. Isn’t that itself suspicious?”
The point was not to deny the tragedy—but to challenge the manipulation of grief for political ends.
Nuclear Realities: Escalation Is Not an Option
Beyond the media noise looms a grim reality: both India and Pakistan possess nuclear arsenals.
Defense Minister Khawaja Asif issued a sobering reminder: “If propaganda leads to military action, it will not just be South Asia that bears the cost—it will be the world.“
Diplomatic efforts from China, Russia, and even quiet interventions by American envoys have since urged New Delhi to de-escalate.
The United Nations, too, has called for restraint, transparency, and an independent investigation—underscoring that hasty accusations in a nuclear neighborhood are an invitation to disaster.
The Path Forward: Truth, Not Talk Shows
At present, two narratives are battling for supremacy:
- India’s narrative: Pakistan remains the perpetual villain.
- Pakistan’s counter-narrative: We are the convenient scapegoat—and demand independent scrutiny.
The real answer lies not in televised debates, nor in nationalist hashtags, but in a forensic, independent investigation.
Pakistan’s stance is clear:
- Let independent experts investigate.
- Let forensic evidence—not nationalistic sentiment—assign blame.
- Let facts—not familiar blame games—define justice.
Conclusion: Peace Demands More Than Blames
The tragedy in Pahalgam is not just another headline. It is a painful reminder that in South Asia, narratives often overpower nuance, and blame replaces investigation.
But perhaps this time, something is different. Pakistan is refusing to be the silent accused. It is demanding answers, transparency, and truth. And if the world truly cares about peace in South Asia, it must listen—not just to grief, but to the hard questions that grief often buries.
Justice for Pahalgam’s victims requires more than retaliation. It requires the courage to seek the truth—even when it challenges the most convenient stories.
