ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is ready to effectively respond to any misadventure or aggression by Indian forces with the full support of the nation, Prime Minister Imran Khan said on Sunday as he vowed to stand by the people of Kashmir and continue to provide them moral, political and diplomatic support.
The prime minister made these remarks while chairing a meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) that was held to discuss recent escalation along the Line of Control and India’s use of cluster munition against civilians in Azad Kashmir.
Kashmir has surged back into the spotlight in recent days after New Delhi deployed at least 10,000 troops to the region and ordered foreign tourists and pilgrims to vacate the area citing an imminent threat of a suicide bombing.
“Pakistan will always stand with Kashmiris and will not be deterred from its just stance based on the [United Nations Security Council] resolutions and aspirations of Kashmiri people,” the prime minister said after chairing the meeting that was also attended by the three services chiefs, director-general Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) and senior federal cabinet members.
Since 1947, Kashmir, a Muslim-majority region with 86,000 square miles of territory, remains disputed between India and Pakistan. Both countries claim it in full but only control parts of it. The two nations have also fought wars over the territory, but the dispute continues to linger on.
The NSC was briefed on India’s use of “cluster munitions against civilians to provoke Pakistan” and it also focused on New Delhi’s intent to change the demographic structure and the internationally recognized disputed status of Indian-administered Kashmir.
“The recent buildup of [Indian] forces [in Kashmir] and their brutal use against an unarmed population is adding fuel to fire,” the NSC said in a statement. “The forum strongly condemned such Indian strategy at this time when Pakistan and the international community are focused on resolving the Afghan conflict.”
The NSC noted that the recent Indian measures would increase the levels of violence and turn the area into a flashpoint and a destabilizing factor in the midst of two strategically capable neighboring countries.
“India is totally disregarding international obligations and her arrogance will only result in heightening the conflict dynamics in the region,” the prime minister said while inviting the attention of world leaders and international bodies toward “irresponsible, unilateral and irrational behavior” of Indian leadership.
The prime minister also reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve “to respond to any Indian misadventure or aggression with the full support of the nation.”
Renowned defense analyst General (r) Talat Masood said the Line of Control had become “very volatile” due to “India’s unprovoked firing on the civilian population across the border and its recent troop buildup in Kashmir to suppress the people struggling for their right to self-determination.”
“Both the countries should start talking to each other to cool off the Line of Control and prevent a full-scale armed conflict for the peace of the whole region,” he told Arab News.
Pakistan vows to stand by Kashmiris, respond to ‘Indian misadventures’
Pakistan vows to stand by Kashmiris, respond to ‘Indian misadventures’
- Condemns India’s decision to raise tensions in Kashmir at a time when the world is trying to resolve Afghan conflict
- Analysts urge the two South Asian nuclear neighbors to prevent a full-scale armed conflict in the region
Dozens killed as security forces repulse separatist attacks in Pakistan’s Balochistan
- The attacks unfolded early Saturday when outlawed Baloch Liberation Army members attacked several cities in the restive region
- Security official says 37 militants, 10 security personnel killed in skirmishes that revived memories of similar attack in 2024
QUETTA/ISLAMABAD: Dozens of militants and security personnel and policemen were killed as Pakistani security forces repulsed coordinated attacks by separatist militants in the southwestern Balochistan province, officials said on Saturday, in the latest incident of violence in the insurgency-hit region.
Separatist militants, affiliated with the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), launched “coordinated” attacks in several cities of Balochistan early Saturday, according to a senior police official, who requested anonymity.
The attacks in the provincial capital of Quetta began at around 6am with a powerful explosion, followed by intense gunfire that lasted for two hours along with multiple explosions. Residents of Dalbandin and Nuhski said they heard explosions and gunfire, while similar attacks were launched in Mastung, Gwadar, Pasni and Turbat.
A security official said Pakistani forces had repulsed the attacks and killed 37 “Indian-backed militants,” who were in continuous contact with “their handlers in Afghanistan.” Islamabad has frequently blamed such attacks on India and Afghanistan, an allegation consistently denied by Kabul and New Delhi.
“The terrorists of Fitna Al-Hindustan (Indian-backed Baloch separatist groups) launched coordinated attacks this morning at more than 12 locations, including Quetta, Noshki, Dalbandin, Pasni, and Gwadar,” the security official said.
“In these attacks, 37 terrorists have been eliminated. Throughout the operation, the terrorists were reportedly in continuous contact with their handlers in Afghanistan. Ten security personnel were martyred while few others were injured.”
A senior official at the Civil Hospital in Quetta told Arab News they had received 15 bodies, including nine policemen.
“Eight injured with bullet wounds were brought to the hospital,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “Five of them were later shifted to the Combined Military Hospital (CMH) Quetta.”
Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, is the site of a decades-long insurgency waged by Baloch separatist groups who often attack security forces and foreigners, and kidnap government officials.
Shahid Rind, the Balochistan chief minister’s aide for media and political affairs, said police and paramilitary Frontier Corps (FC) had foiled the attacks and were chasing the assailants.
“After the killing of more than 70 terrorists at different places in Balochistan in the last two days, terrorists have attempted to attack at a few places in Balochistan, which have been foiled by timely action by the police and FC,” he said on X.
“At present, the pursuit of the fleeing terrorists is underway. More details will be revealed very soon.”
In a statement issued on Saturday, BLA said the group had launched ‘Operation Herof 2.0,’ which included a series of attacks in multiple cities of Balochistan.
Saturday’s attacks follow coordinated attacks carried out by the group in Aug. 2024 in various districts of Balochistan which killed dozens of people.
The separatists accuse the central government of stealing the region’s resources to fund development elsewhere in the country. The Pakistani government denies the allegations and says it is working for the uplift of local communities in Balochistan.
Pakistan Railways suspended train service from Balochistan to other parts of the country for a day, following Saturday’s attacks.
“Quetta-Peshawar bound Jaffar Express, and Quetta-Chaman passenger trains have been canceled due to the prevailing security situation in Balochistan,” Muhammad Kashif, the railways controller in Quetta division, told Arab News.
