Pakistan has signalled it will deliver a strong response if provoked by India, though it has no intention of initiating military action, Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar said. Addressing a joint briefing with military spokesperson Lt General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Dar stressed the country’s military was fully prepared to defend against any threat while reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to regional stability.
The statements follow heightened tensions after the Pahalgam attack, with reports suggesting Indian leadership had authorised its forces to retaliate freely. Dar condemned terrorism unequivocally and criticised India’s immediate attribution of blame to Pakistan without evidence, calling it a familiar pattern aimed at political manipulation. He warned that India’s growing belligerence was a serious threat to regional peace.
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Lt Gen Chaudhry challenged India’s narrative by highlighting inconsistencies in the timeline and logistics of the attack, questioning how Pakistani operatives could have traversed difficult terrain so quickly. He also pointed out India’s longstanding strategy of exploiting such incidents to deflect attention from its internal issues in Kashmir and justify escalatory moves.
Both officials urged the international community to hold India accountable for transnational actions and cautioned that any misstep could destabilise the nuclear-armed region. They reaffirmed that Pakistan would exercise restraint but respond decisively if necessary.
