India, May 5 -- The dominant theme in Pakistani reactions to the Pahalgam outrage is that India has rushed to blame Pakistan for this as a default reaction, without pausing to consider other explanations or possibilities. Given the fact that a package of very significant diplomatic measures was announced against Pakistan soon after the terrorist outrage, such a reaction was inevitable.

Yet for many in Pakistan, the conclusion that India will invariably blame Pakistan as a means of coercion comes naturally. Thus, after every major terrorist attack, the issue of evidence is raised as a defensive reaction. In the past, the Pakistani position was often of a joint inquiry or a joint investigation. This time the position is a slight variant wi...