Staff Reporter
Islamabad
The civil and military leadership, during a National Security Committee meeting on Sunday, vowed to respond to any “misadventure or aggression” by Indian forces against Pakistan and strongly condemned Indian atrocities in the Occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
The meeting was summoned by Prime Minister Imran Khan in the wake of the Indian army’s use of cluster ammunition to target the civilian population in Azad Jammu and Kashmir across the Line of Control in violation of the Geneva Convention and international law.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak, Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Minister for Interior Brig (Retd) Ijaz Ahmad Shah, Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, Advisor on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan.
Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, Inter-Service Intelligence director general, Inter-Services Public Relations director general, and secretaries of foreign affairs, Kashmir affairs and National Security Division also attended the meeting, which discussed the Indian actions contributing to the fast deteriorating situation in the IOJ&K.
The participants condemned Indian army’s “destabilising efforts” in AJK and occupied Kashmir at a time when “Pakistan and the international community were focused on resolving the Afghan conflict”. They also noted that aggression by the Indian forces will “increase the level of violence and turn [the region] into a flash point and a destabilising factor”.
Pakistan will effectively respond to any type of aggression or provocation from India with its people’s support, Prime Minister Imran Khan said after the National Security Council’s meeting concluded.
India’s motives have been revealed in terms of internal and foreign affairs and a panicked New Delhi may come up with dangerous options to hide its failures, the notification said.
Pakistan desires that the Kashmir issue be resolved in accordance with the United Nations resolutions, as well as the wishes of the Kashmiri people.
In a major escalation in the ceasefire violations, India has begun using cluster munitions on civilian population living close to the LoC. The use of cluster bombs on the Neelum Valley over the past few days has caused multiple fatalities and injuries to several others, including minor children.
A strategy to effectively respond to provocation by India was readied during the NSC meeting, as security situation of the country was assessed.
The heightening tensions following the deteriorating situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir were pondered upon during the meeting, with the NSC stating that India’s actions in the region were contributing to worsening the conditions.
“The more India is exposed internally and internationally in its machinations, the more there are chances that it may resort to desperate and risky options including false flag operations,” the statement read.
“Pakistan remains ready to defend itself against any Indian misadventure or aggression and will continue to provide all-out diplomatic, moral and political support to the brave people of IOJ&K in their indigenous struggle to get justice and their right to self-determination in line with UNSC resolutions,” the meeting resolved.
The meeting reiterated that Kashmir was a long standing unresolved international dispute, which needed peaceful resolution and urged India to come forth to resolve the issue in accordance with the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. The AJK prime minister assured the forum that Kashmiris on both sides of the LoC were determined to withstand Indian hostilities and fully trust Pakistan to stand for them through thick and thin.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said Pakistan would always stand by Kashmiris and would not be deterred from its just stan
ce based on the United Nations Security Council resolutions and aspirations of the Kashmiri people.
