ISLAMABAD:
The Foreign Office (FO) of Pakistan on Tuesday firmly dismissed allegations from India claiming that Pakistan attempted to target the Golden Temple in Amritsar, one of Sikhism’s most sacred religious sites, during recent cross-border tensions.
India had earlier accused Pakistan—without presenting evidence—of involvement in a deadly attack last month in Pahalgam, located in Indian-administered Kashmir. Pakistan strongly refuted the charge and called for an impartial international investigation. As tensions escalated to a potential military standoff, the United States intervened to broker a ceasefire between the two nuclear-armed neighbors.
On Monday, Indian media reported claims from the Indian military that Pakistan had tried to strike the Golden Temple, which they said was “successfully thwarted.” According to The Hindu, Indian forces allowed temple authorities to deploy firearms to defend against perceived threats, including possible drone or missile attacks. A senior army official told ANI that Pakistan aimed to create “internal confusion and chaos” by targeting civilian areas and places of worship.
Responding to these claims, FO spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan issued a statement saying:
“We categorically reject the allegations that Pakistan attempted to target the Golden Temple, the most revered place in the Sikh faith. We hold all places of worship in the highest esteem and cannot even contemplate such an act.”
The spokesperson further condemned recent attacks on religious sites in Pakistan by India on May 6 and 7, asserting that these baseless allegations were intended to deflect attention from those actions.
“Pakistan is the proud guardian of numerous Sikh holy sites and hosts thousands of Sikh pilgrims every year from around the world,” the statement added. Khan also emphasized the country’s commitment to religious harmony, highlighting Pakistan’s provision of visa-free access to Sikh pilgrims through the Kartarpur Corridor to visit Gurdwara Darbar Sahib.
“In this context, any suggestion that Pakistan would target the Golden Temple is not only false but also illogical,” the statement concluded.
Earlier this week, the FO also refuted Indian media reports alleging that Pakistan had used nuclear-capable Shaheen missiles amid the standoff. Khan pointed out that the Indian military quietly removed a video making that claim, once it became clear the information was incorrect.
“These fabricated stories are part of New Delhi’s broader strategy to spread disinformation about the ceasefire and to falsely accuse Pakistan of engaging in ‘nuclear blackmail’,” the FO spokesperson said.
