Indian Journalist’s Anti-Pakistan Question Draws Blunt Response from Malaysian PM

Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has rejected an attempt by Indian journalist Vishnu Som to link Pakistan to terrorism by citing the Pahalgam incident. Anwar said Malaysian state institutions had found no evidence that Pakistan was involved in state-sponsored terrorism. He stressed that, as prime minister, he could only speak on the basis of information provided by his country’s state institutions. “I know how difficult it is to say this in India,” Anwar said, while making clear that allegations must be supported by credible evidence.

The Malaysian prime minister also said that India and Pakistan could improve their relations through dialogue and negotiations. Responding to an attempt to draw a comparison between Pakistan and Israel, Anwar rejected the comparison, describing Israel as a terrorist state while calling Pakistan a good and friendly country. He added that although he is a friend of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his position on Pakistan would be determined by facts rather than political affiliations, noting that Malaysian authorities had not provided any report accusing Pakistan of state terrorism.

The exchange was seen as a setback for the Indian media narrative seeking to portray Pakistan as responsible for terrorism without presenting conclusive evidence. Political observers said that allegations against Pakistan should not be treated as established facts without independent and credible proof. Anwar Ibrahim’s response instead emphasized the importance of evidence, institutional assessments and dialogue in addressing disputes between India and Pakistan.