Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in clear words told the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi that India would have to face consequences of its actions, as New Delhi had committed a grave mistake last night by resorting to aggression and thought that Islamabad would back off.
“India forgets that Pakistani nation had brave sons who always fought for respect and defense of motherland by shedding the last drop of their blood,” he said in a widely televised address to the nation. Within few hours, the enemy was bowed down after the Pakistan Air Force shot down five Indian combat jets – once considered as their pride – and reduced them to pile of fragments and ashes.
The prime minister informed the nation that India’s cowardly attack took lives of 26 innocent people, including a seven-year-old Irtaza Abbas, who lost his life after hit with a splinter in his home. He said that each drop of blood would be accounted for. Pakistan has proved how to respond with solid blow, he said. In one-hour fight on the Line of Control, he said that the PAF pilots while flying inside territory and with display of professionalism reduced enemy’s jets to ashes.
“Pakistan proved its superiority over its enemy in conventional warfare,” he said. Pakistan had offered transparent probe into the Pahalgam incident but India obliterated all laws and norms by resorting to aggression. Under international laws and the UN Security Council resolutions, he said Jammu Kashmir had been and would remain as a globally-recognized dispute until Kashmiris exercised their right to self-determination in a free and impartial environment.
“India can take a hundred decisions, but it cannot change the reality,” he said. In this region, he said Pakistan had been the most affected country from the scourge of terrorism and in this fight, a total of 90,000 people had lost their lives with damages to the tune of $152 million dollars. He said that it was a vain thinking on part of India that its aggression would divert attention of Pakistan from fighting terrorism, but it was committed to end it forever.
Addressing a National Assembly session in Islamabad, Shehbaz Sharif said that a crushing blow delivered by the armed forces had made India realize Pakistan’s preparedness and capabilities. In the darkness of night, India tried to infiltrate into Pakistan like it did in the past, but the brave forces had given them a befitting reply, he said. On behalf of the nation and the parliament, he paid tribute to the Pakistan Army and the Pakistan Air Force for vigilance and inspiring leadership.
Last night, he said that they had information about designs of India who tried to carry out attacks with 80 warplanes at six different places, including Bahawalpur, Shakargarh, Sialkot, and Azad Jammu Kashmir but Pakistan’s eagles shot down five planes, including three Rafale planes besides drones. “The response left the enemy in disarray and make them realized the power, prowess and strength of Pakistan as a nuclear state, and it has made them sleepless. Our armed forces are battle-hardened force,” he said.
The prime minister said the entire nation deserved congratulations on the great victory as their armed forces with their professionalism acted in unison after consultations and planning. He invited all parties to support their efforts in making Pakistan invincible by showing unity. On April 22, he pointed out that an incident took place in Jammu Kashmir which had been under illegal occupation of India but a police report registered within 10 minutes. Trying to misguide the world, he said that the Indian media started false allegations against Pakistan.
On the other hand, he said that Pakistan had irrefutable evidences about India’s involvement in a recent train hijack incident in Balochistan province. He informed the House that he held conversations with a number of the global leaders over the latest situation. He suggested adoption of a resolution by the National Assembly to acknowledge services of the military leadership in Pakistan’s defense. The House also prayed for the high ranks in Jannah for those who lost their lives in the Indian attack.
Army says India cannot confront Pakistan’s military directly; targets innocent civilians in darkness
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry confirmed that at least 31 civilians were martyred, and 57 others sustained injuries after Indian forces launched missile strikes overnight between May 6 and 7. He said that the Indian troops launched cowardly attacks across the Line of Control, deliberately targeting civilian populations and places of worships.
He said the attacks took place under cover of darkness and focused mainly on mosques and residential areas, showing the extremist mindset of Narendra Modi-led government in New Delhi. He questioned targeting of innocent children who had just begun to experience life’s joys. He pointed out that India cannot confront Pakistan’s military directly and instead targets innocent civilians under cover of darkness.
He revealed that Indian forces desecrated multiple mosques during the recent attacks, desecrating copies of Islam’s the holiest book. “This is a new low in India’s hostilities — targeting sacred places of worship,” he said, and highlighted disturbing footage showing the aftermath of Indian shelling. “Look at how the sacred scripture was martyred… Is there any religion or form of humanity in the world that permits targeting of places of worship and desecration of holy books,” he questioned?
He said that such acts of sacrilege reflect depth of India’s moral and ethical decline. “This is not just a military aggression; this is a direct assault on religious sanctity and basic human values.” He said the global community has already seen clear evidence of how India, through its proxies, has promoted terrorism within Pakistan. “We have presented time and again concrete evidence showing India’s involvement in cross-border terrorism and destabilizing activities, he said.
When Pakistan started tightening the noose around these terrorists, reducing their space and dismantling their networks, India itself resorted to direct terror tactics, he said. Unlike the enemy, he said that Pakistan’s armed forces have demonstrated utmost professionalism and restraint by strictly targeting only military installations in retaliation. “We responded to India’s cowardice with strength and precision, choosing only legitimate military targets, not innocent civilians.”
Pakistan’s quest for peace should never be misconstrued as a sign of weakness
Ahmed Sharif confirmed that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) shot down five Indian fighter jets and one drone in response to the attempted airstrike. The downed aircraft included three Rafale jets, a MiG-29, a Su-30, and an Israeli-made Heron drone. He said that PAF could have shot down more than 10 aircraft but chose to show maturity and strategic restraint. “Not a single Pakistani aircraft crossed into Indian airspace, and none of the Indian jets were allowed to enter ours.”
He confirmed that all PAF assets, including fighter jets and installations, were fully safe and operational. India had targeted the Noseri Dam near the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower project, causing damage to the infrastructure. As per the Article 54 of the 1977 Additional Protocol 1 of the Geneva Convention, it is prohibited to attack, destroy, remove or render useless objects that were indispensable to the survival of the civilian population, such as drinking water supplies or installations and irrigation works.
As per the Article 56 of the same Geneva Convention, works and installations that contain dangerous forces – dams, dykes and nuclear electrical generating stations – shall not be made the object of attack as such acts may cause release of dangerous forces and consequent severe losses among the civilian population. The military spokesperson highlighted timing of India’s attack, which coincided with Pakistan’s facilitation of local and foreign media visits to sites falsely claimed by India to be ‘training camps’.
The ISPR director general pointed out that India’s air assault posed a grave threat to aviation. At the time of India’s attack, 57 flights were in the airspace, including aircraft from the Pakistan International Airlines, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UAE, China, and others. In its pursuit of aggression, India jeopardized safety of innocent passengers that was a clear violation of aviation protocols, he said, and reaffirmed quest for peace should never be misconstrued as weakness.
While Pakistan seeks peace, he said that it will never compromise on the security of its land and its people. “Let there be no doubt: our armed forces will never tolerate any threat to sovereignty of the state or safety of its citizens,” he said, and assured the nation that blood of innocent civilians would not go in vain. “Every drop will be accounted for — and justice will be served,” he said, and emphasized that the nation and its armed forces remain united and resolute against any form of Indian aggression.
