In a detailed media briefing on the Pahalgam false flag incident, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry raised a series of questions that according to him remain unanswered by India even a year after the event.
Addressing the briefing on April 30, 2025, the DG ISPR stated that the matter should be examined strictly on the basis of facts rather than allegations.
He questioned the claim that the attack was carried out by individuals allegedly coming from Pakistani territory, pointing out that Pahalgam is located more than 200 kilometres from the nearest point in Pakistan.
He further noted that the region is geographically difficult not directly accessible, and lacks all-weather road connectivity, making such movement highly questionable.
He also highlighted inconsistencies in the official version of events, particularly the timeline presented in the First Information Report (FIR). He stated that, under normal circumstances, it takes at least 30 minutes to reach the nearest police station from the incident site.
However the FIR suggests that police reached the location, completed necessary procedures and returned within approximately 10 minutes, a timeline he described as raising serious questions and indicating possible pre-planning.
Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry further stated that Indian intelligence agencies reportedly had no prior information about the incident. Despite this, within minutes of the attack, narratives began emerging claiming that the attackers had crossed the border.
He added that a specific narrative was quickly constructed portraying the incident as religiously motivated, suggesting that Hindu individuals were targeted while others were spared.
He emphasized that such incidents reflect serious lapses in intelligence and internal security mechanisms. He also reiterated that terrorism cannot be associated with any religion, nationality, or ethnicity, stressing that it is incorrect to portray such acts through a religious lens.
The DG ISPR further noted that questions regarding the incident were not limited to Pakistan, but were also being raised within India itself.
He stated that shortly after the incident, several social media accounts and platforms began circulating claims attributing responsibility to Pakistan even in the absence of any verified evidence. According to him this rapid narrative-building raised further doubts about the credibility of the claims.
He concluded the briefing by stating that Pakistan had presented detailed observations and what it described as factual inconsistencies regarding the incident, while rejecting what he termed as a pre-planned narrative aimed at shifting blame without evidence.
