Indian Supreme Court rejects plea for judicial probe into Pahalgam attack

New Delhi: The Indian Supreme Court has rejected a petition seeking the formation of a judicial inquiry commission to investigate the recent Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Indian media reported on Thursday.

The attack, which occurred in the tourist town of Pahalgam, claimed the lives of 26 people—most of them tourists—and has heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.

According to reports, the Supreme Court declined to entertain the Public Interest Litigation (PIL), warning that such actions could ‘demoralise’ the armed forces.

A bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh remarked, “This is a crucial hour. Don’t make any prayer that could demoralise a person. Consider the sensitivity of the issue.”

The bench further urged the petitioners to act responsibly, stating: “You owe a duty towards the country. Is this the way? Please don’t do this. We are not entertaining this. Please go wherever you want to go.”

The court allowed the petitioner, Fatesh Kumar Sahu, to withdraw the plea in person.

The petition, filed by three residents of Jammu and Kashmir—Mohammad Junaid, Fatesh Kumar Sahu, and Vicky Kumar—also sought the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to ensure accountability for the attack. It further called on the central government and the Union Territory administration to take measures to protect other tourists in the region.

Earlier, Pakistan’s military spokesperson, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, has accused India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of orchestrating false-flag attacks to influence public opinion and secure electoral victories.

Speaking at a press briefing with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, the DG ISPR said that recent incidents, including the Pahalgam attack, follow a familiar pattern used by India to blame Pakistan without evidence and to manipulate political narratives ahead of elections.

DG ISPR questioned the credibility of India’s swift reaction to the Pahalgam incident, noting the timeline of events that pointed to a pre-determined agenda.

The Pahalgam attack, which took place about 230 kilometres from the Line of Control (LoC), raised questions because Pakistan was quickly blamed, even though it was unlikely that such a fast connection could be made.