Pakistan won't proactively start a conflict, but will react forcefully if provoked, as stated by Foreign Minister Dar.
Pakistan's Defiant Response to India's Allegations over Pahalgam Attack
In a bold statement, Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, declared that Pakistan won't initiate hostilities toward India, but if provoked, they'll respond with overwhelming force. These comments came in response to recent Indian accusations concerning the Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
Speaking before the Senate, Dar asserted that Pakistan played no part in the Pahalgam incident, where 26 innocent tourists lost their lives in a brutal armed attack. India has implicated Pakistan for the assault, a charge that Islamabad flatly denied.
"We won't kick things off," Dar told lawmakers bluntly. "But if India takes any action, we'll hit back hard - tooth for tooth."
Dar updated the Senate on the ongoing diplomatic outreach following the incident. Pakistan, he explained, had met with the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, China, the UK, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Hungary. These discussions focused on India's history of false flag operations and escalating rhetoric.
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Dar voiced concern that the Pahalgam attack might be part of a broader strategy to create a pretext for unilaterally withdrawing from the Indus Waters Treaty, a longstanding water-sharing agreement between the two countries.
"I've a sneaky suspicion that this entire scheme has been orchestrated to provide a justification for scrapping the Indus Waters Treaty," he admitted.
Dar noted that Pakistan's core allies, including China and Turkey, had demonstrated their support. "China's foreign minister offered their support, while Turkey's foreign minister asked how they could assist," he revealed. In response, Dar informed them that if India was planning any action, this time Pakistan's response would be decisive.
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Dar emphasized further that India had failed to provide any substantial evidence linking Pakistan to the Pahalgam incident. "We're tactically pursuing diplomatic efforts, while India continues to toss baseless accusations our way," he stated.
Regarding the Indus Waters Treaty, Dar disclosed that India had written to Pakistan, suggesting that the circumstances had changed, and that it had decided to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, a move Dar deemed "nothing short of a declaration of war."
Insights:- The Pahalgam attack occurred in the Baisaran Valley near Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir, resulting in the deaths of at least 26 tourists. The Resistance Front (TRF), an offshoot of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba, took responsibility for the attack.- India has since accused Pakistan of supporting cross-border terrorism, which Pakistan denies. As a result, India has expelled Pakistani diplomats, withdrawn its own, suspended visas, closed borders, and demanded Indian citizens to leave Pakistan immediately.- Pakistan has responded by imposing trade restrictions, closing its airspace and border crossings to India, and suspending the Shimla Agreement. Tensions between India and Pakistan remain high, with both nations maintaining their positions and engaging in reciprocal actions.- The Indus Waters Treaty, established in 1960, governs the sharing of the Indus River system between India and Pakistan. India's withdrawal from the treaty has been heavily criticized by Pakistan, who views it as a serious escalation. Any attempt by India to divert or halt the water flow would be viewed as a formal act of war by Pakistan.
- The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Ishaq Dar, stated that Pakistan would not initiate war with India, but would respond responsibly if provoked following the Pahalgam attack in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
- Dar asserted that Pakistan had no part in the Pahalgam incident, which resulted in the loss of 26 innocent lives, and accused India of implicating Pakistan for the attack baselessly.
- Dar shared updates on diplomatic outreach with foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, UAE, China, the UK, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Hungary, expressing concern that the Pahalgam attack could be part of a strategy to destabilize Pakistan's position in war-and-conflicts.
- Dar revealed that Pakistan's core allies, including China and Turkey, had offered their support, and informed them that if India was planning any action, Pakistan's response would be decisive.
- Dar emphasized that Pakistan had not provided any substantial evidence linking Pakistan to the Pahalgam incident, and was tactically pursuing diplomatic efforts while India continued to throw baseless accusations in policy-and-legislation and general news discussions.
