India unable to stomach Pakistan’s economic rise: Interior minister

LAHORE: As tensions escalate between New Delhi and Islamabad following the Pahalgam attack, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Saturday said that India's inability to accept Pakistan’s economic progress is fueling its hostile actions.

Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Naqvi warned India against suppressing Pakistan's rights and said that every citizen would fight till the last breath to defend the country’s sovereignty and independence.

He also rejected allegations linking Pakistan to the recent Pahalgam attack, reiterating that Pakistan is a peaceful nation and demands an impartial and transparent investigation into the incident.

"Pakistan is ready to fully cooperate with any neutral party conducting a probe, as we seek to expose the real perpetrators behind the attack," he added.

The warning follows the deadly gun attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), where 26 tourists were shot dead at a scenic location in the Pahalgam area. The victims included one Nepali national.

Following the attack, India took unilateral and frivolous measures against Pakistan, suspending a water-sharing treaty, announcing the closure of the main land border crossing with Pakistan, downgrading diplomatic ties, and withdrawing visas.

Pakistan, in response, ordered the expulsion of Indian diplomats and military advisers, cancelling visas for Indian nationals, with the exception of Sikh pilgrims — and closing the main border crossing from its side.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan was open to any “neutral and transparent” investigation into the Pahalgam attack in India-occupied Kashmir.

Speaking to journalists today, Naqvi said Pakistan has concrete evidence that India is involved in acts of terrorism not only inside Pakistan but also in other countries such as Canada and the United States.

"We have solid proof that India is attempting serious actions against us. In the last three days alone, seven IEDs were seized that were planted by Indian-backed elements for attacks in various Pakistani cities," he revealed.

He noted that India orchestrates such incidents whenever foreign dignitaries visit their country to divert attention. "They are trying to weaponise terrorism against Pakistan but the world can see through their designs," he added.

He stressed that Pakistan has always handled the situation with great patience and maturity but would not compromise on its sovereignty, territorial integrity, or freedom. "We will expose this drama to the world. If an independent investigation is conducted, Pakistan will provide all the evidence it has gathered," he said.

Highlighting Pakistan's intelligence efforts, Naqvi said their agencies successfully thwarted India’s recent terror plans. "India wanted to see bloodshed in Pakistan. Their plan was to create chaos through blasts in different cities, but our agencies foiled those conspiracies."

On the situation in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), the minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s principled stance, saying the dispute must be resolved according to United Nations resolutions. "We will never step back from our position on Kashmir," he said.

The minister pointed out that the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) and Indian agency RAW were acting as "one force," and that Pakistan was aware of BLA leaders' meetings with Indian handlers in third countries.

"Whether it is Pahalgam or any other incident, we demand the real culprits be exposed. Pakistan is ready for a neutral, transparent investigation, and we will fully cooperate," he said.