Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday reiterated that Pakistan is willing to cooperate with any neutral and transparent investigation into this week’s Pahalgam attack in India-held Kashmir.
Earlier this week, terrorists killed 26 people in Pahalgam, with Delhi blaming Pakistan without evidence. Subsequently, India unilaterally suspended the Indus Waters Treaty and severed diplomatic ties with Pakistan, with Islamabad retaliating by threatening to put bilateral agreements in abeyance and closing its airspace for Indian flights.
“The recent tragedy in Pahalgam is yet another example of this perpetual blame game, which must come to a grinding halt,” P.M. Sharif told a passing-out parade at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul. “Continuing with its role as a responsible country, Pakistan is open to participating in any neutral, transparent and credible investigation,” he added.
He said India had continued with a “pattern of exploitation, levelling baseless allegations and false accusations without credible investigation or verifiable evidence.” On the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, he said water was a vital national interest of Pakistan and any attempt to divert Pakistan’s resources would be safeguarded at all costs and under all circumstances.
“Therefore, any attempt to stop, reduce or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan under the Indus Waters Treaty would be responded to with full force and might,” he vowed. “Nobody should remain under any kind of false impression and confusion,” he said.
“Our valiant armed forces remain fully capable and prepared to defend the country’s sovereignty and its territorial integrity against any misadventures, as clearly demonstrated by our measured yet resolute response to India’s reckless incursion in February 2019,” he said, referring to “Operation Swift Retort” which saw Pakistan shooting down an Indian jet.
Voicing his full confidence in the armed forces, Sharif said the country of 240 million people was united in support of the armed forces and ready to safeguard every inch of Pakistan. “Peace is our preference but must not be construed as our weakness,” he added.
During his address, the prime minister also reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Kashmiris’ right to self-determination. “As founder of the nation Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah rightly said, Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan. Unfortunately, this globally recognized dispute remains unresolved despite multiple U.N. resolutions,” he regretted.
“Let there be no doubt, Pakistan shall continue to support the right of self-determination of the Kashmiri people till they achieve their rights through their great struggle and sacrifices,” he said.
During his address, Sharif also raised Pakistan’s concerns about cross-border terrorism with Afghanistan, reiterating his desire for improved ties. “It is our earnest desire to live in peace with them [Afghanistan] for all times to come. Unfortunately, despite our best and sincere efforts, terrorist activities continue to emanate from Afghan territory,” he said.
He noted Deputy P.M. Ishaq Dar’s recent visit to Kabul was part of ongoing efforts to better ties and understanding with “brotherly and neighborly” Afghanistan. “However, we have also delivered a strong and clear message to the interim Afghan government that while we desire peaceful neighborly relations with Kabul, this cannot happen as long as the Afghan soil is being used by Fitna-Al-Khawarij to attack Pakistanis,” he added.
Sharif asserted that Pakistan had “always condemned terrorism” in any form. “As the world’s frontline state against terrorism, we have endured immense loss, with our 90,000 casualties and economic losses beyond imagination, exceeding $600 billion,” he said.