Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday hailed the success of Operation Bunyanum Marsoos as a historic moment, and warned India against mistaking Pakistan’s desire for stability as weakness.
“History will eternally record how, within a few hours, Pakistan’s defenders extinguished India’s unprovoked aggression with unmatched precision and resolve,” he said in an address to soldiers deployed at the frontline areas in Pasrur Cantonment near Sialkot. Maintaining the armed forces had avenged the 1971 war by giving a decisive and powerful response to Indian aggression, he congratulated the soldiers for defending the motherland heroically by dealing a decisive blow to the enemy’s aggression.
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defense Minister Khawaja Asif, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar accompanied the prime minister. Chief of Army Staff Gen. Asim Munir and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu were also present.
The visit commenced with a comprehensive briefing for the prime minister on the conduct of the battle and the current operational preparedness of the Corps.
Commending the leadership and personnel of the Army, Navy and Air Force, Sharif said they had “put the enemies of Pakistan in their place.” In a direct address to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s accusations against Pakistan, the prime minister said the world knew who had trained the Mukti Bahini in 1971. “Today, the same nexus is seen in support of groups like the BLA and TTP, and it leads back to Modi,” he said. “Mr. Modi, keep your fiery speeches to yourself. Pakistan seeks peace in the region, but do not mistake our desire for stability as weakness,” he asserted. “The illusion that India is the regional power has been shattered,” he added.
Referring to India’s announcement of holding the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, Sharif reiterated his warning that water was a red line for Pakistan. He said Pakistan was ready for dialogue on all unresolved issues, including the Kashmir dispute. However, he added, the country did not want to ignore “bitter truths.” He noted India’s attacks had hit the Neelum-Jhelum water project. “If the damage was severe, we could have destroyed your major dams, including Baglihar Dam,” he said.
The prime minister also warned India that any future hostility would face a forceful and unprecedented response. “Modi, if you attempt another act of aggression, you will face consequences beyond imagination,” he warned.
Sharif described as extremely shameful India’s blatant aggression against innocent civilians it described as “terrorists,” noting it had martyred children, women and the elderly against all international laws, norms and morality. He recalled that India had deliberately avoided Pakistan’s offer for a neutral probe and launched an offensive on a false pretext and bloated arrogance and ego.
He said Pakistan had agreed to a ceasefire understanding in the larger interest of peace in the region, adding the country was committed to promoting peace in South Asia while defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs.
Ceasefire Welcomed
Later, the prime minister talked to United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres and expressed his deep appreciation for the U.N. chief’s leadership and diplomatic efforts to defuse the situation in South Asia. He said Guterres’ continued engagement and preventive diplomacy demonstrated his enduring commitment to the protection of the U.N. Charter’s principles and purposes, as well as to fostering peace in South Asia.
During the call, Sharif expressed concern over the continued provocative and inflammatory remarks from the Indian leadership, saying they pose a threat to fragile regional peace. He emphasized that the just resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, in accordance with U.N. Security Council resolutions, was imperative to ensuring durable peace in South Asia.
The U.N. secretary general welcomed the ceasefire between Pakistan and India and expressed condolences over the loss of civilian lives. He expressed his commitment to continued engagement with both sides to advance regional peace and stability.