Lt-Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry along with info minister briefs politicians in-camera on India’s jingoistic actions PM Shehbaz holds consultation with Nawaz Sharif on national security.
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE – Director General of Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has made it clear that the Armed Forces will give a matching response if any aggression is imposed war on Pakistan.
He was giving an in-camera briefing along with Minister for Information & Broadcasting Atta Tarar to various members of political parties on national security here in the contest of India’s Pahalgam false flag operation, here on Sunday.
The two nuclear-armed neighbours are experiencing a period of heightened tensions since the April 22 attack on tourists in the scenic resort town of Pahalgam in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), in which at least 26 people were killed. New Delhi linked Islamabad to the attack without offering any evidence and took a flurry of punitive measures to downgrade ties, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, revoking visas of Pakistanis, and closing Wagah-Attari border crossing, among others.
Islamabad, in response, ordered the expulsion of Indian diplomats and military advisers, cancelling visas for Indian nationals, with the exception of Sikh pilgrims, and closing the main border crossing from its side.
Pakistan also denies its involvement in the attack and offered to take part in a credible and transparent investigation.
According to sources, during the in-camera briefing, national security matters were discussed in the light of the current situation arising out of India’s Pahalgam false flag operation.
A large number of political party leaders including JUI-F’s Noor Alam Khan, Senator Abdul Shakoor and BAP Senator Abdul Qadir, Sindh ministers Nasir Hussain Shah, Sharjeel Memon, Saeed Ghani and PML-N’s Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha participated in the session.
The DG ISPR briefed the participating political leaders on the preparedness of the Pakistan Armed Forces.
“Pakistan is a peaceful country and desires peace in the region,” said the DG ISPR.
During the in-camera session, the federal minister for information & broadcasting also briefed the political leaders on the government’s diplomatic efforts and the state’s official stance.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, held a high-level consultative meeting with Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) President Mian Nawaz Sharif at his Jati Umra residence.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif was also present at the meeting.
According to party sources, the prime minister and the deputy prime minister briefed Nawaz Sharif on the evolving tension between Pakistan and India following the recent Pahalgam incident in Indian-occupied Kashmir.
The sources privy to the discussion revealed that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif apprised the PML-N leader of the latest security assessments provided by the country’s civil and military institutions, including intelligence reports on the cross-border developments. He also took him into confidence about his contacts with friendly countries.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar also shared details of Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach to international partners and the steps being taken to convey Islamabad’s position to the global community, especially in light of India’s accusations and increased military posturing along the Line of Control (LoC).
On the occasion, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif reportedly stressed that the civilian leadership must stand shoulder to shoulder with the Pakistan Armed Forces to defend the country’s sovereignty and maintain peace in the region.
The meeting also emphasized the need for consultations with coalition partners to discuss the broader political implications of the India-Pakistan tensions.
No official statement was released following the meeting, but sources said that further high-level discussions are expected in the coming days as the government monitors the situation closely.
In a related development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a telephone conversation with the Prime Minister of Malaysia Dato Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
During the call, the Prime Minister shared Pakistan’s serious concerns over the prevailing tensions in South Asia as a result of India’s provocative behaviour since the Pahalgam incident.
He categorically rejected any attempts to link Pakistan to the incident, without sharing any evidence and reiterated Pakistan’s offer for an international, transparent, credible and neutral investigation to be carried out to ascertain the facts behind this incident.
He said Pakistan would welcome Malaysia’s participation in this investigation.
While stressing that Pakistan had always condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, the Prime Minister highlighted Pakistan’s role as a front line state in the war against terror and its tremendous sacrifices in this effort. India’s actions are distracting Pakistan from its counter-terrorism efforts on its western border, he added.
He emphasized that it was unthinkable for Pakistan to get involved in such a controversy particularly at a time when the country had just emerged out of a serious economic crisis and was back on the path to economic stability.
The two Prime Ministers also exchanged views on Pakistan-Malaysia relations, reaffirming their shared commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and enhancing cooperation in various fields, including trade, investment and cultural exchanges.
In this context, the Prime Minister conveyed that he looked forward to paying an official visit to Malaysia later this year.
The telephone call underscored the close friendship and mutual understanding between Pakistan and Malaysia and both leaders agreed to remain in touch on regional and international developments.
