0
• India will have to bear consequences of its actions, says PM
• Military’s response proved ‘superiority in conventional war’
• NSC authorises military to act at ‘time, place, and manner of its choosing’
• Forum terms blatant violation of sovereignty, territorial integrity ‘act of war’
• Apex committee warns India ‘has once again ignited an inferno’
• Two cabinet members hint at lowering of tensions if India avoids further escalation
ISLAMABAD: PM Shehbaz Sharif declared that Pakistan has decided to avenge the overnight incursion as the National Security Committee — the apex security forum — authorised the armed forces to undertake corresponding actions in self-defence at a time, place, and manner of its choosing.
India conducted several strikes inside Pakistan, including in Azad Kashmir, early on Wednesday. Pakistan responded swiftly and downed “five jets” of the Indian air force, immediately forcing them to retreat.
As the fear of an India-Pakistan war loomed large, PM Shehbaz convened a meeting of the National Security Committee to review grave developments arising out of India’s unprovoked and unlawful act of war. This meeting took key decisions, which it shared in a statement, followed by the premier’s address to the nation.
In his speech, PM Shehbaz said India attacked six different places in Pakistan and expressed sorrow over the loss of innocent lives. “We solemnly swear that we will avenge each and every drop of blood of our martyrs,” he said, adding that India targeted innocent people in Pakistan.
India has made a blatant mistake and now it will have to bear the consequences, said the premier, adding Pakistan has proved that it was capable of responding to any sort of aggression in a befitting manner. “India thought that Pakistan would retreat, but it forgot that we are a brave nation ready to fight till the last drop of our blood,” he added. He said it “took only a few hours” for the Pakistani military to bring the enemy to its knees. “With the grace of God, our jets created such a storm in the sky that the enemy screamed. Five war jets, which were the pride of India, are now just ash and rubble.”
PM Shehbaz has said that Pakistan and its military forces have once again “proved their superiority over the enemy in conventional warfare”.
‘Coordinated missile, air and drone strikes’
A statement issued by the NSC after its meeting said Indian jets “deliberately targeted the civilian areas, on the false pretext of presence of imaginary terrorist camps, resulting in the martyrdom of innocent men, women, and children, and causing damage to the civilian infrastructure, including mosques”. It said the Indian strikes also caused “grave danger to commercial airlines” in the air, endangering the lives of thousands. The statement also expressed concern over the targeting of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project, which was a violation of international conventions.
The NSC said the blatant violations of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity clearly constituted acts of war under international law.
Pakistan has been emphatically rejecting Indian allegations claiming the presence of terrorist camps on its territory, the statement said, recalling Pakistan had offered a transparent and neutral probe into the Pahalgam attack but its offer was not accepted.
“The international media personnel had already visited these ‘imaginary terrorist camps’ on 6 May 2025, and more visits were planned for 7 May, 2025. However, apprehensive of its falsehood being exposed…the Indian leadership…has now gone to the extent of attacking innocent civilians in order to satiate its delusional thoughts and short-sighted political objectives,” the statement said, adding that the attack on innocent people “was neither tolerable nor acceptable”.
“India, against all sanity and rationality has once again ignited an inferno in the region; the responsibility for ensuing consequences shall lie squarely with India,” it warned.
“In consonance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, Pakistan reserves the right to respond, in self-defence, at a time, place, and manner of its choosing to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives and blatant violation of its sovereignty,” it said.
Reconciliatory note
As tensions boil over, two cabinet members struck a reconciliatory note, with PML-N stalwart and PM’s aide Rana Sanaullah saying that the government and the army chief had committed to the world that Pakistan would not take any “irresponsible action” if India did not further escalate.
“We have given a befitting response. If they (India) do further actions, then we will give an even more befitting response,” he said after the NSC meeting. His colleague Khawaja Asif also appeared cautious in his response, saying Pakistan was “trying to avoid” a full-blown war.
Speaking to CNN, Defence Minister Asif said New Delhi’s deadly barrage on Punjab and Azad Kashmir was a “clear-cut violation” as India crossed an international boundary. “This is a clear-cut violation, and an invitation to expand the conflict and maybe convert it into something much more wider and much more dangerous for the region.” He insisted that Pakistan’s military was braced “for an all-out war,” after India raised the “stakes”.
“What happens next is we are prepared for an all-out war. There is absolutely no doubt, because India is increasing the intensity, the stakes of this conflict,” added Kh Asif. “So… we can’t be caught with our guards down.”
Published in Dawn, May 8th, 2025
