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Pakistan's PM Calls Terrorists 'Freedom Fighters,' Escalates Tensions

4/25/2025

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Summary

Story summary

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar sparked outrage by calling the Pahalgam terror attackers "freedom fighters," intensifying already fraught relations with India. The attack, which claimed 26 lives, primarily tourists, led India to downgrade diplomatic ties, halt the Indus Waters Treaty, and expel Pakistani diplomats, with Pakistan warning of potential escalations.

History

Historical Context

Ishaq Dar's recent remarks on the Pahalgam attackers as "freedom fighters" echo past tensions between India and Pakistan, particularly following the 2019 Pulwama attack, which similarly escalated diplomatic strife. The ongoing insurgency in Jammu and Kashmir, rooted in the late 1980s, continues to fuel violence and complicate relations, highlighting a long history of conflict over territorial and ideological claims.

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Story summary

Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar sparked outrage by calling the Pahalgam terror attackers "freedom fighters," intensifying already fraught relations with India. The attack, which claimed 26 lives, primarily tourists, led India to downgrade diplomatic ties, halt the Indus Waters Treaty, and expel Pakistani diplomats, with Pakistan warning of potential escalations.

1 / 2