Pak defence minister Khawaja Asif calls for international probe into Pahalgam attack: 'Russia, China can determine if Modi is lying'

Pakistani defence minister Khawaja Asif, in a recent interview, stated that Russia, China and other Wester countries should join the probe into the Pahalgam terror attack to determine if "India is telling the truth". 

As many as 26 people lost their lives as terrorists opened fire at Baisaran meadow in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22, after which, India took a series of bold countermeasures to curb cross-border terrorism backed by Pakistan. 

In a conversation with the Russian government-run news agency RIA Novosti Khawaja 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 minister further emphasised that there needs to be some evidence to back the claim that Pakistan is behind the deadly terror attack.  "Let's find out who is the culprit and the perpetrator of this incident in India, in Kashmir, talk or empty statements have no effect. There must be some evidence that Pakistan is involved or that these people were supported by Pakistan. These are just statements, empty statements and nothing more," Khawaja was quoted as saying by the outlet. 

After the terror attack, the relations between India and Pakistan - two nuclear-armed neighbours - have gone strained. After the massacre, the central government suspended the Indus water treaty, expelled Pak advisors, closed Attari-Wagah border and suspended visa services for Pak nationals, ensuring their immediate departure from India. 

Pakistan, on the other hand, took steps which can merely be seen as mirroring Indian measures, such as cancelling visas, shutting trade and announcing suspension of 1972 Simla Agreement.