Pakistan’s jailed former PM Imran Khan terms Pahalgam attack ‘deeply disturbing and tragic’
Lahore, Apr 30 (PTI): Pakistan’s incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan on Tuesday termed the Pahalgam terror attack “deeply disturbing and tragic” while saying that India needs to act responsibly.
“Loss of human life in Pahalgam incident is deeply disturbing and tragic. I extend my deepest condolences to the victims and their families,” Khan said on his X account.
“When the False Flag Palwama Operation incident happened, we offered to extend all-out cooperation to India but India failed to produce any concrete evidence. As I predicted in 2019, the same is happening again after Pahalgam incident. Instead of introspection and investigation, Modi Sarkar is again placing the blame on Pakistan,” he said and added being a country of 1.5 billion people, India needs to act responsibly instead of messing with a region already known as “nuclear flashpoint”.
“Peace is our priority but it should not be mistaken as cowardice. Pakistan has got all the capabilities to give a befitting response to any Indian misadventure, as my government, backed by whole nation, did in 2019. I have always emphasised the importance of the Kashmiris’ right to self-determination, as guaranteed by United Nations resolutions,” he said.
Khan said he had also been highlighting the fact that "India led by RSS ideology is a grave threat, not only to the region but beyond it".
“Indian oppression in Kashmir, intensified after the illegal abrogation of Article 370, has further fuelled the Kashmiri people’s desire for freedom. Sadly, the nation has been divided by an illegitimate government imposed through fraudulent Form-47 results. "And yet, ironically, Narendra Modi’s aggression has united the people of Pakistan in one voice against Indian hostility. While we reject this fake regime, we stand firmly as one Pakistani nation and strongly condemn Modi’s war-mongering and his dangerous ambitions that threaten regional peace.”
Khan, who has been in jail since August 2023 in multiple cases, further said to win the war against an external enemy, the nation must first be united.
“It is high time to put a halt to all actions that are further polarising the nation. The state’s excessive focus on political victimisation at this critical time is deepening internal divisions and undermining the nation’s collective ability to confront external threats.”
Castigating ruling PML-N head and former premier Nawaz Sharif and President of Pakistan Asif Zaradri, Khan said: “It is naive to expect any strong stance from self-serving figures like Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari. They will never speak out against India because their illegal wealth and business interests lie abroad.
"They profit from foreign investments, and to protect those financial interests, they remain silent in the face of foreign aggression and baseless allegations against Pakistan. Their fear is simple: that Indian lobbies might freeze their offshore assets if they dare to speak the truth.”
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SRH knocked out of play-off race after washout against DC
Hyderabad, May 5 (PTI): Sunrisers Hyderabad were eliminated from the play-offs race after their Indian Premier League fixture against Delhi Capitals was called off due to heavy rain following the first innings here on Monday.
Pat Cummins-led SRH pace attack ran through the DC batting line-up to limit the visitors to 133/7 before rain dashed the slim hopes of the home team. Both teams shared a point each for the abandoned game.
With 13 points from 11 games, DC remain in contention for a top-four spot.
After reaching the final last year, it was a season to forget for SRH who could not replicate their ballistic run of 2024 with the bat. Having collected only seven points from 11 matches, SRH will now be playing for pride.
Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals were already eliminated from the competition.
Before rain lashed the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium, the hosts put up a clinical effort with the ball and were on course for only their fourth win of the season until rain arrived, creating large puddles of water on the outfield. The match officials decided to call off the game at 11.10 pm local time.
The shot selection of Delhi Capitals' batters contributed to their downfall after being put in to bat.
They were left reeling at 29 for five in 7.1 overs with captain Cummins causing the maximum damage.
Cummins had Karun Nair caught behind on the very first ball of the match with a good length ball around the off-stump. It was a rather loose shot from the DC batter first up.
Faf du Plessis departed in Cummins' following over, a failed attempt to put the relentless Australian away for a boundary. Not getting any loose ball from Cummins, the South Africa went for a pull on the charge only to be caught by the wicket-keeper.
Cummins' third victim was Abhishek Porel who was caught after mistiming a flick.
Harshal Patel and Jaydev Unadkat then got into the act by dismissing Axar Patel and K L Rahul respectively. The in-form Rahul went for a drive on the up but ended up edging it to Ishan Kishan behind the stumps.
It was one way traffic until Tristian Stubbs (41 not out off 36) and impact player Ashutosh Sharma (41 off 26) combined to take DC to a respectable total. They shared a 66-run stand off 45 balls.
Sharma was able to break the shackles by depositing leg-spinner Zeeshan Ansari for a couple of sixes over long-on in the 15th over.
Stubbs did not look as comfortable as Sharma in the middle but managed to provide much needed support to the latter. The South African could find only four boundaries with the last one coming off the final ball of the innings.
🚨 News 🚨
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) May 5, 2025
Match 55 between @SunRisers and @DelhiCapitals has been called off due to wet outfield.
Both teams share a point each.
Scorecard ▶ https://t.co/1MkIwk4VNE
#TATAIPL | #SRHvDC pic.twitter.com/VnVZWjsjGJ
