According to the reports on Sunday (11 May), in a surprising admission, Pakistan’s military has acknowledged its involvement in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack that resulted in the deaths of 40 paramilitary personnel. During a press conference on Friday (9 May), Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed, the Director General of Public Relations for the Pakistan Air Force, referred to the attack as “a tactical brilliance” of the military. This marks a rare moment of accountability from Pakistan, which had long denied any involvement in the attack, despite evidence linking the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terrorist group to the bombing.
The confession came after years of Pakistan’s persistent denials, including claims from then-Prime Minister Imran Khan, who expressed concern over the attack but rejected the involvement of the military. Pakistan had also demanded evidence from India to substantiate its allegations, despite the JeM’s own claim of responsibility. The Indian government had linked the attacker, Adil Ahmad Dar, to the JeM, whose training camps were targeted in an Indian airstrike, Operation Sindoor, in retaliation for the attack.
The military’s admission has also cast doubt on Pakistan’s position regarding the April 22 Pahalgam attack, reinforcing suspicions that it may have been involved in that as well. Air Vice Marshal Ahmed’s statement goes against the narrative Pakistan has held, further complicating the country’s stance on its military’s operations in Jammu and Kashmir. The admission has drawn significant attention, especially with the presence of top military officials like Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, who is the son of a controversial nuclear scientist involved with al-Qaeda.
Despite the military’s confession, the Pakistani government has never officially acknowledged its role in the Pulwama attack. The recent admission by Aurangzeb, made in front of dozens of media personnel, has revealed a shift in the narrative, something that years of pressure and diplomatic efforts had failed to achieve. The statement now forces the country to confront the reality of its involvement in one of the most significant acts of terrorism in the region.
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Pakistan Military Finally Admits Role in 2019 Pulwama Attack
