Pahalgam Live: India, Pak fighting over Kashmir for 1,000 years, will figure it out: Trump
Pak Army chief evokes two-nation theory, says Muslims are distinct from Hindus in all aspects of life — religion, customs, traditions, thinking and aspirations
The US President Donald Trump has said there have been “tensions on [the Kashmir] border for 1,500 years” and that India and Pakistan will “get it figured out one way or the other”.
“I’m sure… I know both leaders. There is great tension between Pakistan and India. But there always has been,” he said on Saturday.
Meanwhile, blowing hot and cold over the Pahalgam terrorist attack that killed 26 people on April 22, Pakistan has now offered to join any “neutral and transparent” probe into the massacre.
“The recent tragedy in Pahalgam is yet another example of this perpetual blame game, which must come to a grinding halt. Continuing with its role as a responsible country, Pakistan is open to participating in any neutral, transparent and credible investigation,” Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said at an event on Saturday (April 26).
Sharif threatens to ‘use all options’
Talking about the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty by India, Sharif said any attempt to stop, reduce, or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan would be responded to with full force and might.
Sharif threatened to use all options if the water of its share was stopped by India. “Water is our lifeline and a vital national interest, and its availability will be safeguarded at all costs and under all circumstances,” he said.
He said the entire nation stood by the armed forces of Pakistan to safeguard every inch of the homeland. “Our valiant armed forces are capable and remain fully prepared to defend the country’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity against any misadventure,” he said.
Firing along LOC
On the other hand, Pakistan army chief General Asim Munir on Saturday highlighted the “two-nation theory”, stating that Muslims and Hindus are two different nations.
“The two-nation theory was based on the fundamental belief that Muslims and Hindus are two separate nations, not one. Muslims are distinct from Hindus in all aspects of life – religion, customs, traditions, thinking and aspirations,” Munir said.
Earlier in the day, the Pakistani military resorted to unprovoked firing all across the Line of Control and Indian troops effectively responded to them, military sources said.
The exchange of fire for a second consecutive night came amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack.
Follow more live updates below:
Live Updates
- 26 April 2025 9:45 AM GMT
PM Modi is fooling people on Pahalgam terror attack : Karnataka CM
Firing a fresh salvo at the Centre over the terror attack in Pahalgam, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is "fooling people" with regard to terror strike in Jammu and Kashmir.
The chief minister also said the prime minister did not attend the all-party meeting conveyed by the Centre, post the attack, but took part in an election rally in Bihar.
"The prime minister should have been there during the all-party meeting. He had gone to electioneering in Bihar. So what is important to him? He is putting ‘Topi’ (hat) on people (meaning fooling people)," Siddaramaiah told reporters here.
He was responding to a query of India’s response to the terror attack.
The chief minister said, "There is no need for war. We are not in favour of it. We should take stringent measures. That’s it. Security should be beefed up." There should be peace in the country. People should be protected and the Centre should initiate security measures, he added.
To a question about the union government's directives to states to send back Pakistani nationals, the CM said, "We will cooperate. We will send back the Pakistani nationals and inform the Centre about it. Right now, we do not have information about the number of Pakistanis residing in Karnataka." According to the CM, Pakistani nationals are in the major cities of the state, but most of them are in Bengaluru.
- 26 April 2025 9:39 AM GMT
Nadda to meet family members of two Pahalgam attack victims in Pune
BJP president and Union minister J P Nadda, who is on a visit to Pune on Saturday to attend some programmes, is scheduled to meet the family members of Santosh Jagdale and Kaustubh Ganbote, who were killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, in the evening, party sources said.
Nadda is expected to meet Jagdale's family members at their residence in Karve Nagar area in the city around 6.45 pm, from where he will head to Ganbote's house in Kondhwa area, they said.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fandavis is also scheduled to meet Jagdale and Ganbote's family members separately during the day.
Jagdale and Ganbote were part of 26 persons, mostly tourists, who were killed by terrorists at Baisaran meadow near Pahalgam town in Kashmir on Tuesday afternoon.
- 26 April 2025 9:35 AM GMT
Terror attacks can't break India's spirit : Piyush Goyal
Union minister Piyush Goyal has said that terror attacks like the one in Pahalgam would fail to to disturb the nation as long as all 140 crore Indians regard patriotism and nationalism as their "paramount dharma".
He emphasised that such acts would never break India's spirit.
Speaking to reporters here on Friday, Goyal asserted that the conviction of the people would ensure the resumption of tourism in Kashmir soon, and pilgrims will continue their Amarnath Yatra.
He said India's rising global stature was troubling certain forces.
"These incidents represent the desperate last efforts of those powers. It is an unbearable attack, but we will not spare anyone," the Union Commerce Minister added.
"As long as 140 crore Indians consider patriotism and nationalism as paramount dharma, such types of incidents will continue to disturb our country. However, India has enough strength to give a befitting response," the minister said.
- 26 April 2025 9:24 AM GMT
Protest held against Pahalgam attack in Kathmandu
A protest was held against the Pahalgam terror attack ,which left 25 Indians and one Nepali national dead, outside the Pakistani embassy in Kathmandu by an organization called
Nagarik Yuva Shakti Nepal on Saturday.
Dozens of youths carrying placards and a photograph of 27-year-old Sudip Neupane, who was killed in the attack, chanted slogans like "Down with Islamic terrorism", "Punish the terrorist", and "Stop killing the Hindus".
Neupane from Butawal sub-metropolitan city of Western Nepal was among those killed in the attack claimed by The Resistance Front, an offshoot of the banned Pakistan-linked Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Rastriya Prajatantra Party also organised a separate protest on Saturday outside the Pakistani embassy here against the attack.
