During a live interview on Sky News, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar was confronted by journalist Yalda Hakim regarding Pakistan’s history of supporting terrorism. Following India’s military strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir, Tarar claimed India targeted civilians, which Hakim refuted. She cited Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif’s admission of the country’s past support for terrorism. Tarar struggled to defend his position, noting Pakistan’s role in fighting terrorism. Hakim reminded him that Osama bin Laden was found in Pakistan. India’s foreign secretary asserted that its actions aimed at dismantling terrorist infrastructure were necessary responses to cross-border attacks.
New Delhi:
Pakistan’s Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar found himself in an awkward position during a live broadcast after Sky News journalist Yalda Hakim fact-checked his statements regarding Pakistan’s support for terrorist organizations. This occurred just hours following India’s military operations targeting terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK).
While on Sky News, Tarar accused the Indian military of striking civilian regions—an assertion that Hakim refuted effectively.
“The Indian armed forces have stated that their focus was solely on terrorist camps, not Pakistani military sites,” Hakim noted. India executed missile strikes on nine terror targets, which included Jaish-e-Mohammad’s base in Bahawalpur and Lashkar-e-Taiba’s location in Muridke.
Afghan journalist Yalda Hakim challenged 🇵🇰’s Information Minister Ataullah Tarar in a television interview. pic.twitter.com/NSrHdjeEoV
— Every Voice Matters 🇮🇳 (@Speaks_For_All) May 7, 2025
Tarar attempted to deny this assertion, stating, “Let me clarify, there are no terrorist camps in Pakistan. Pakistan is a victim of terrorism. We are combating terrorism on our western border. We are the frontline state against terrorism and have sacrificed 90,000 lives in this struggle.”
“In contrast, India did not even condemn the hijacking of the Jafar Express; they showed no concern for the incident,” Tarar declared during the segment.
Hakim interjected, referencing a recent admission by Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on her earlier show regarding Pakistan’s role in “dirty work” by supporting terrorism for the United States over three decades.
“Just a week ago on my program, your Defence Minister Khawaja Asif confessed that Pakistan has, for many years, adopted a policy of supporting, financing, and leveraging terrorist groups as proxies against India. In fact, President Donald Trump cut military aid to Pakistan in 2018, accusing Pakistan of playing a double game,” she highlighted.
She continued, “So, when you claim there are no terrorist camps in Pakistan, you contradict statements made by General Parvez Musharraf, Benazir Bhutto, and even your Defence Minister just a week ago. In fact, Bilawal Bhutto mentioned to me a few days ago that funding and supporting terrorist groups is part of Pakistan’s legacy.”
Tarar had difficulty countering her points before asserting, “Post-9/11, Pakistan emerged as a frontline state, and we continue to be pivotal in combating terrorism. We are protectors of global peace as we stand as a barrier between terrorists and the rest of the world.”
He then invited Hakim to visit Pakistan. At this point, she reminded him that Osama bin Laden, the mastermind behind the 9/11 attacks, was found in Abbottabad, Pakistan, before being killed by US forces in 2011.
“I have been to Pakistan, and we all know that Osama Bin Laden was located in Abbottabad, Pakistan,” she remarked.
On Wednesday, India reaffirmed its right to respond, taking preemptive actions as well as deterring further cross-border assaults like the one in Pahalgam. The country reiterated its commitment to dismantling terror infrastructure and neutralizing terrorists.
In an official statement, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri emphasized that India’s actions were calculated, non-escalatory, proportional, and responsible.
Referring to the United Nations Security Council’s press statement on the Pahalgam attack, Misri highlighted the “need to hold accountable those who perpetrate, organize, fund, and support such egregious acts of terrorism and bring them to justice.”
“India’s recent actions should be viewed within this framework,” Misri added.