Pakistan's Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has sparked controversy by referring to the perpetrators of the recent Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir as "freedom fighters." Speaking in Islamabad, Dar, also Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister, suggested that the attackers might have been fighting for freedom.

His comments came a day after India took diplomatic action against Pakistan in response to the attack, which killed 26 people, mostly tourists. India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and canceled visas for Pakistani nationals.

Dar responded by warning that any attempts to suspend the Indus Water Treaty would be seen as an "act of war," as millions in Pakistan depend on the river's water.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Defense Minister Khawaja Asif escalated the rhetoric, threatening retaliation if Pakistan is attacked by India. The attack, claimed by The Resistance Front (TRF), an affiliate of Lashkar-e-Taiba, is the deadliest in the region since the 2019 Pulwama bombing.