Business leader and former President of the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ICCI), Dr. Shahid Rasheed Butt, on Thursday strongly condemned the recent terrorist attack in the Pahalgam region of Indian-occupied Kashmir, calling it a part of India’s malicious strategy.
He stated that India’s attempt to blame Pakistan for the incident would not succeed and emphasized that the country’s business community firmly stands behind its armed forces.
During an emergency meeting with traders, Shahid Rasheed Butt accused India of orchestrating the attack to deflect attention from its internal turmoil.
He noted that blaming Pakistan without evidence is a recurring tactic used by Indian authorities.
“India has a history of staging attacks on its own soil and pointing fingers at Pakistan,” he said. “The timing of the Pahalgam incident seems deliberately chosen to gain maximum impact and isolate Pakistan on the global stage.”
He also criticized India for unilaterally suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, calling it “water terrorism” and a violation of international agreements. Mr. Butt warned that any adventurous missteps by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi would come at a heavy price. “Our armed forces are fully prepared to handle any situation, and the people of Pakistan are united in their support,” he added.
Shahid Rasheed Butt highlighted that the BJP-led Indian government is playing the religious card to further marginalize Muslims in India. “Using terrorism as a tool to strengthen nationalist propaganda not only endangers regional peace but worsens the plight of Indian minorities,” he stated.
He further accused India of carrying out assassinations of Sikh leaders in countries like Canada and the U.S. while directly supporting terrorism within Pakistan. “This is not the first time India has staged an attack during high-profile foreign visits, the latest being during the U.S. Vice President’s trip,” he pointed out.
In conclusion, Butt said Modi is trying to cover up his government’s failures and atrocities in Kashmir through baseless propaganda, but these efforts will ultimately fail.
