Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif on Friday said the nation, along with the country’s brave armed forces, was fully prepared and ready to defend the motherland from any Indian aggression. “Pakistan’s commitment for peace must not be construed as weakness. In case of any aggression or violation of Line of Control, Pakistan will take all necessary steps to protect its people and territorial integrity,” the Prime Minister said while chairing a meeting of the Federal Cabinet here at PM’s Office.

The Prime Minister said his government was committed to focus its energy on the welfare of the people and ending poverty and unemployment. “To achieve these goals, peace is essential. However, we will defend our homeland against any aggression. The entire nation stands shoulder to shoulder with its brave armed forces and no one will be allowed to cast an evil eye on Pakistan,” he said.

The Prime Minister said that Kashmir was an unfinished agenda of the partition of the subcontinent, which could not be wished away. “The atrocities being perpetrated by the Indian forces cannot suppress the freedom struggle of the people of Kashmir,” he said. “Indian aggression against the people of Kashmir is unacceptable,” the Prime Minister said, adding that it posed a serious threat to regional peace and security.

The Cabinet joined the Prime Minister in completely rejecting the Indian claims of carrying out “surgical strikes” in Pakistan. It pointed that the Indian security forces had resorted to unprovoked firing on the LoC, which was in complete violation of India’s commitments under bilateral arrangements as well as international law.

The Cabinet praised the brave and valiant Jawans of the Armed Forces of Pakistan for their befitting response to the Indian aggression. Fateha was offered for the two martyred armed forces personnel. The cabinet took up the issue of the situation in Indian Occupied Kashmir. Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry briefed the Cabinet.

The cabinet expressed deep concern over the continued killings and grave human rights violations in Jammu Kashmir. It was mentioned that Indian forces deployed in Occupied Kashmir had killed more than 110 innocent civilians including women, children and elderly persons. The cabinet appreciated the courage, valour and commitment of the Kashmiri people who continued their just struggle for the realisation of the right to self-determination, in accordance with the UN Security Council Resolutions.

The cabinet reiterated Pakistan’s call for free, fair and impartial investigation into the killings of innocent civilians under the UN auspices and called upon the international community to take notice of the serious human rights violations. The cabinet welcomed the decision of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to send a fact-finding mission to Jammu Kashmir.

The cabinet expressed Pakistan’s unwavering commitment to provide political, moral and diplomatic support to the people of Jammu Kashmir. It was also decided to continue to highlight Indian brutalities, excesses and state-sponsored terrorism at the international level. The cabinet rejected the provocative statements of the Indian leadership accusing Pakistan for carrying out the Uri attack without any evidence, terming it an attempt to deflect the international community’s attention from the situation in the IOK.

It was noted that the statements of the Indian Prime Minister had provided fresh evidence of Indian involvement in subversive and terrorist activities in Pakistan, which was a clear contravention of the UN Charter and international law.