Experts see old Indian tactics behind Pahalgam attack

Islamabad:The recent Pahalgam attack and India’s subsequent unilateral measures didn't happen in isolation but as part of a deliberate and recurring strategy to reshape regional dynamics to Pakistan’s detriment, emphasied defence and policy experts during a session here.

According to them, the timing of the incident, its historical parallels and the swift, coordinated media campaign that followed signal a calculated move by India. This intent is further reflected in actions taken without evidence or identified perpetrators, such as suspending the Indus Waters Treaty and closing the Attari border. The experts said in order to respond effectively, Pakistan must pursue a strategic, measured and resolute approach, reaffirming its principled stance, countering disinformation with facts, exposing the underlying motives behind such orchestrated violence, and engaging international partners.

During the event, titled ‘The Pahalgam Attack: Dissecting the Motives and Strategic Fallout,’ and organised by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) here, IPS chairman Khalid Rahman emphasised the need to critically assess the credibility of the Indian narrative. He pointed out that the immediate and coordinated media campaign, launched without any concrete evidence or identification of perpetrators, reflects a deliberate and premeditated effort to frame public perception and policy discourse for reshaping regional dynamics.

AJK Centre for International Strategic Studies executive director Dr Asma Shakir Khawaja said the Pahalgam incident was not accidental but a “calculated move aimed at giving a communal colour to the Kashmir issue.” She noted that such incidents often coincide with high-profile foreign visits in India to deflect global attention. "There is a need to recognise the role of hyper-nationalism under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, warning that such acts are part of a broader strategy to exploit Islamophobia and destabilise Pakistan’s regional standing," she said.

Institute of Multi-Track Dialogue Development & Diplomatic Studies director Sheikh Waleed Rasool pointed to the historical sensitivity of Pahalgam and drew attention to the Ajit Doval doctrine, which, he said, emphasises targeting state actors. He highlighted the repetition of timing, motive, and beneficiary in such episodes. “This is not an isolated incident. It is a multidimensional strategy, part of a larger pattern, and must be seen through the lens of global and regional dynamics.”

Dr Nauman Sattar of the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies, Quaid-i-Azam University, contextualised the event within a post-9/11 framework of Indian strategic behaviour, asserting that such attacks are often leveraged to frame Pakistan as the perpetual antagonist and to rally domestic nationalist sentiment. He said the incident's fallout would continue for months, including the destabilisation of Pakistan’s regional standing and the downgrading of the normalisation of relations. Defense and strategy expert Said Nazir insisted that the Pahalgam incident attempted to weaken the political fabric of Kashmir, including moves to dismantle the remnants of Muslim leadership and autonomy,

He warned against India’s strategic posturing around revoking the Indus Waters Treaty, which he declared a direct threat to Pakistan’s national interests. Senior journalist Iftikhar Gilani noted the unusual targeting of tourists, historically off-limits even during peak militancy and said it had been a time-tested formula for India to polarise society in the name of Pakistan and Muslims. "Such actons are part of a strategy to provoke public opinion against Muslims, Kashmiris, and Pakistan, a pattern we’ve seen before," he insisted.