Amid rising tensions with India following the recent attack in Pahalgam, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has offered Pakistan’s full cooperation in a “neutral, transparent and credible” investigation into the incident, while simultaneously warning of a robust national response to any hostile move.
Speaking at the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul during the passing-out parade of cadets, Shehbaz struck a firm tone. He declared that Pakistan’s armed forces are fully capable of defending every inch of the nation’s territory. “Peace is our preference but must not be mistaken for weakness,” he emphasized. “We will never compromise on the dignity and security of our nation.”
The Prime Minister’s comments come amid heightened diplomatic and military tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, triggered by a deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir’s Pahalgam region. India has since moved to suspend key provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty — a move Pakistan sees as a provocative escalation.
“Water is our lifeline,” Shehbaz said, issuing a stern warning. “Any attempt to block or divert Pakistan’s share of water will provoke a full-force response. This is not merely a policy issue, it is a matter of survival.”
The Prime Minister firmly rejected India’s accusations linking Pakistan to the Pahalgam incident, criticising what he called “baseless allegations” and politically motivated narratives. “The recent tragedy in Pahalgam is yet another example of this pattern,” he said. “Pakistan, continuing with its role as a responsible country, is open to any neutral, transparent and credible investigation.”
Reaffirming Pakistan’s unwavering support for the people of Kashmir, Shehbaz reiterated that the region remains central to the country’s foreign policy and national identity. “As the Founder of the Nation Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah rightly said, Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan. This internationally recognised dispute remains unresolved despite multiple UN resolutions.”
Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari Warns India Against ‘Weaponising Water’ After Indus Treaty Suspension
He stressed Pakistan’s decades-long sacrifices in the fight against terrorism. “We have lost over 90,000 lives and suffered economic losses exceeding $600 billion. No other nation has paid a higher price in the war against terror,” Shehbaz stated.
His remarks follow an earlier statement by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, who in interviews with international media also demanded an international probe into the Pahalgam attack. Speaking to The New York Times, Asif said Pakistan was ready to cooperate fully with international inspectors and investigative teams.
Rejecting Indian claims linking the attack to Pakistan-based militant group Lashkar-e-Taiba, Asif argued that the group was “defunct” and lacked any operational structure inside Pakistan. He further suggested that the attack may have been a “false flag” operation orchestrated by India itself to escalate hostilities and undermine the historic Indus Waters Treaty.
“The Indian government’s knee-jerk response, absent of credible proof, seems to be part of a broader strategy to malign Pakistan and destabilise the region,” Asif said. “It’s not the first time such tactics have been used to shift attention away from internal failures.”
In a separate interview with Sky News, the Defence Minister issued a dire warning: “Should India launch any full-scale military operation against Pakistan, we will not hesitate to respond with full force. Such a confrontation risks an all-out war with catastrophic consequences.”
As tensions simmer, the United Nations has urged both India and Pakistan to exercise “maximum restraint” and avoid further escalation. A UN spokesperson reiterated the international body’s position that peaceful dialogue and diplomacy remain the only viable path forward.
In Islamabad, political analysts and defence observers have expressed growing concern over India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty — a landmark water-sharing agreement brokered by the World Bank in 1960. The treaty has long been considered a stabilising element in otherwise fraught Indo-Pak relations.
“Any disruption to the flow of river waters could have devastating consequences for Pakistan’s agriculture, economy, and millions of people who rely on the Indus River system,” said analyst Dr. Mariam Khan.
For now, Pakistan’s leadership appears determined to convey strength while keeping the door open for diplomacy. Prime Minister Shehbaz’s strong words at Kakul may be aimed at deterring aggression, but they also underline Pakistan’s intent to counter India’s narrative in the international arena.
With regional peace hanging in the balance, global attention will likely remain fixed on the subcontinent in the coming days as both nations face mounting pressure to de-escalate.
