LOWER DIR: Rallies were held in different towns against India’s war-mongering posture as minority community leaders condemned the Pahalgam incident, labelling it as New Delhi’s “cowardly tactics” and reaffirming their full support for the armed forces of Pakistan.

Speaking at a news conference at the Timergara Press Club, minority leaders, including Sudesh Kumar, Father Saleem, Maqbool Masih, Salamat Masih, and Riyaz Masih declared that they would stand firm with Pakistan’s military.

The leaders accused India of engaging in baseless accusations and supporting terrorism in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan.

They warned India not to violate the Indus Water Treaty, pledging strong retaliation if it does.

Minority community leaders reaffirm support to armed forces

The leaders further stated that the international community is aware of India’s promotion of terrorism instead of peace, and vowed that Pakistani minorities would stand side by side with the military, ready to make any sacrifice.

“If India dares to attack, it will face retaliation beyond its imagination,” they said, urging India to cease supporting terrorism and work towards peace.

Meanwhile, a rally was held in Chakdara against India, with a large number of political parties’ members and civil society individuals participating.

Among those present were PPP district general secretary Naeem Khan, president of traders’ association Khwaja Faizul Ghafoor, PML-N president Dawood Khan, former Jamaat-i-Islami candidate Azizullah, and others.

In Mohmand, elders, religious leaders and civil society members staged a rally in Mian Mandi Bazaar to condemn Indian threats in the wake of the Pahalgam incident.

The participants chanted slogans against the Modi government.

They called for unity among people to give a fitting response to any aggression against Pakistan.

The speakers said tribal people had made sacrifices to defend the country in every difficult times, vowing to continue this legacy in the future.

In Kohat, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-Parliamentarians’ KP chapter general secretary Ziaullah Khan Bangash condemned the Pahalgam incident, saying Pakistan was against such acts whether committed against people of Palestine, Iraq, Syria or Indian illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.

Addressing a press conference, he said it was beyond imagination that India had started blaming Pakistan immediately after the attack without any solid evidence.

He vowed that in case India imposed war on Pakistan, it would not only find the armed forces fighting, but the whole nation behind it.

In Bajaur, a rally was held to express solidarity with armed forces in the wake of tensions between Pakistan and India following the Pahalgam incident.

People from different walks of life, including elders, traders and youth, participated in the rally held in Khar Bazaar.

Officials of the district administration and representatives of local bodies were also in attendance.

The participants, holding national flags and a banner inscribed with slogans in support of the armed forces, also raised anti-India slogans.

The participants called the Pahalgam incident another false flag operation carried out by the Modi regime aimed to damage Pakistan’s image in the international community.

However, they said that the Indian government had badly failed to implicate Pakistan in the incident.

Published in Dawn, April 29th, 2025