Can Parliamentary Session Investigate Pakistan’s Role in the Pahalgam Terror Attack?

Can Parliamentary Session Investigate Pakistan’s Role in the Pahalgam Terror Attack?

RMN News Story Highlights

• • US-led ceasefire halts India-Pakistan conflict after “Operation Sindoor.”
  • Pahalgam terror attack sparks familiar blame game against Pakistan.
  • Questions raised about political benefits for Indian leaders from terror incidents.
  • Pakistan calls for independent probe into Pahalgam attack, India rejects it.

By Rakesh Raman
New Delhi | May 12, 2025

The fragile cessation of the armed conflict between India and Pakistan, brokered by a ceasefire imposed by US President Donald Trump on May 10, 2025, has brought a temporary lull to the hostilities. However, this pause in overt aggression does little to quell the underlying tensions and the persistent questions surrounding the recent terror attack in Pahalgam on April 22, 2025.

The circumstances surrounding the ceasefire, coupled with the familiar pattern of accusations following terror incidents in India, warrant a deeper examination of the potential role of Pakistan and the domestic political dynamics at play. The acceptance of Trump’s ceasefire by India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a figure often portrayed as resistant to foreign intervention, has raised eyebrows.

While Modi has consistently maintained a stance against external meddling in India-Pakistan affairs, his swift agreement to Washington’s diktat suggests underlying pressures. Speculation abounds regarding the reasons for this apparent shift. One theory posits that Modi’s compliance is linked to the legal troubles of his close associate, oligarch Gautam Adani, who is reportedly facing a significant corruption case in the United States.

Another potential explanation lies in the assessment of the recent military engagement. Reports suggest that the limited armed conflict following India’s “Operation Sindoor” on May 7, 2025, revealed a possible dominance of Pakistan’s military capabilities, potentially influencing India’s decision to accept a ceasefire.

Yet, amidst these geopolitical maneuverings, the critical question of accountability for the innocent lives lost in the Pahalgam terror attack remains unanswered. A disturbing trend has emerged in India where, immediately following acts of terror, political figures reflexively point fingers at Pakistan, a Muslim-majority nation, often without presenting any tangible evidence.

Critics argue that this rush to judgment preempts thorough investigations aimed at identifying the actual perpetrators. Instead, Indian media outlets frequently amplify these accusations, fostering a climate of war hysteria. This environment, it is alleged, then serves as a pretext for military action against Pakistan under the guise of dismantling terror camps, leading to further cycles of violence and civilian casualties.

The beneficiaries of this recurring pattern of terror and retaliation, according to some analysts, are primarily Indian politicians. In a country with a significant Hindu majority (approximately 80% of the electorate), cultivating animosity towards Muslims is seen as a potent electoral strategy.

This manufactured hatred allegedly helps politicians consolidate Hindu votes, particularly in constituencies where traditional electoral malpractices such as electronic voting machine manipulation, voter roll fraud, intimidation, and bribery prove insufficient. The prevalence of election fraud in India is a significant concern in this context.

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Furthermore, a segment of seasoned but politically marginalized politicians often seizes upon these terror incidents as an opportunity to regain public attention by vehemently denouncing Pakistan. Figures such as Congress politicians Rahul Gandhi and Shashi Tharoor (despite the latter’s perceived alignment with Prime Minister Modi), the less prominent Congress leader Sachin Pilot, Kashmiri politician Omar Abdullah, Muslim leader Asaduddin Owaisi, and numerous others from across the political spectrum engage in this hateful rhetoric.

Given this dynamic, the argument is made that if Indian politicians stand to gain from terror attacks, they should be subjected to rigorous scrutiny to ascertain any potential involvement in local terror activities. In this context, Rahul Gandhi’s letter to Prime Minister Modi requesting a special parliamentary session to discuss the Pahalgam attack, “Operation Sindoor,” and the subsequent ceasefire is notable.

However, the Congress party itself is currently facing a period of significant electoral decline, leading to questions about the seriousness with which their pronouncements are taken by both the public and the ruling establishment. Critics suggest that the Congress has become largely confined to online activism, with its leaders primarily engaging through Twitter rather than mounting significant street-level opposition to the Modi government’s policies. Some even accuse the Congress of tacitly colluding with the ruling party’s actions.

The relevance of parliamentary sessions in India has also been called into question, with Prime Minister Modi often criticized for either avoiding parliamentary proceedings or engaging in dismissive behavior towards opposition leaders.

While the Congress and Rahul Gandhi have previously raised critical issues in Parliament, such as alleged corruption in the Modi-Adani (Modani) dealings and the Rafale defense contract, state-sponsored violence in Manipur, farmers’ grievances, the sexual harassment allegations against wrestling officials, and election fraud, these discussions have largely been ignored by the government, with no substantive resolutions achieved. Rahul Gandhi’s persistent but seemingly ineffectual criticisms in Parliament have led some to view his renewed calls for a special session as a display of political naivety.

The fundamental issue at the heart of the Pahalgam attack and the ensuing conflict is the lack of credible evidence definitively linking Pakistan to these acts of terror. Despite the repeated accusations from Modi, his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and various opposition figures aimed at consolidating Hindu votes, international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Financial Action Task Force (FATF), and the United Nations have not corroborated India’s claims.

Pakistan has consistently and vehemently denied any involvement in sponsoring terrorism in India. During India’s “Operation Sindoor” in May 2025, Pakistani officials reportedly presented a comprehensive briefing to foreign journalists, aiming to expose what they described as India’s fabrications. Their presentation suggested the possibility that terror attacks within India are orchestrated internally.

Furthermore, Pakistan’s repeated proposals for an independent investigation, potentially under the auspices of the United Nations, into terror attacks within India, including the Pahalgam incident, have been consistently rejected by the Modi administration. The vague statements issued by a foreign affairs bureaucrat and a few army officials on behalf of India regarding the Pahalgam attack and the subsequent conflict have been criticized for concealing more than they reveal, fueling suspicions of a potential cover-up.

Credible media reports have also indicated that Pakistan demonstrated military superiority during the recent conflict, with Indian forces reportedly suffering significant losses due to Pakistan’s retaliation, allegedly supported by China. This outcome might explain India’s subsequent acceptance of the ceasefire and could lead to a more cautious approach towards future military engagements with Pakistan.

In this complex scenario, Modi’s apparent dismissal of Pakistan’s call for an independent, potentially UN-led, investigation into the Pahalgam attack to identify the true culprits is particularly noteworthy. An impartial and transparent investigation, encompassing the roles of politicians, bureaucrats, the judiciary, and the Indian army, is essential to establish the truth behind terror attacks in India. Without such an investigation, the accusations leveled against Pakistan by Indian politicians lack legitimacy.

Crucially, Modi’s acceptance of external intervention through Trump’s ceasefire presents a potential opportunity. With the involvement of a third party and the potential support of the United Nations, there exists a possibility to address the larger Kashmir issue, which is widely recognized as the root cause of the enduring animosity between India and Pakistan.

The ultimate objective should be the restoration of democracy in Kashmir, a region that has been described as an open-air prison under the Modi regime, and allowing the people of Kashmir to exercise their right to self-determination through a plebiscite. Only through such a comprehensive approach can a lasting resolution to the cycle of violence and suspicion be achieved.

By Rakesh Raman, who is a national award-winning journalist and social activist. He is the founder of a humanitarian organization RMN Foundation which is working in diverse areas to help the disadvantaged and distressed people in the society.