ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, who also serves as foreign minister, briefed his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, on Islamabad’s response to India’s retaliatory moves after a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, saying his country would respond firmly to any external aggression.
The two leaders spoke over the phone amid heightened tensions between the nuclear-armed neighbors after gunmen killed 26 civilians in the tourist town of Pahalgam earlier this week.
India accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack — a charge Islamabad denied — before announcing a series of retaliatory steps, including suspending the Indus Waters Treaty, expelling Pakistani diplomats and shutting down the Attari-Wagah border crossing.
Pakistan held a high-level national security meeting in response, criticizing Indian actions and promising a forceful response if New Delhi diverted river waters or resorted to any military action.
“DPM/FM [Dar] briefed Prince Faisal on decisions taken by Pakistan’s National Security Committee in the wake of unilateral measures announced by India,” the foreign office of Pakistan said in a statement after the phone call. “He rejected India’s baseless allegations and cautioned against further escalatory moves.”
“DPM/FM reaffirmed Pakistan’s resolve to respond firmly to any aggression,” the statement added.
Both ministers also expressed satisfaction with the state of bilateral relations and agreed to maintain consultations on evolving regional dynamics.
Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have long-standing ties, particularly in defense and diplomacy, and often coordinate positions at multilateral forums.
As part of its wider diplomatic outreach, Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch briefed ambassadors and senior diplomats in Islamabad earlier this week, highlighting the National Security Committee’s stance and reiterating Pakistan’s rejection of militancy in all its forms.
Pakistan also hosted the Organization of Islamic Cooperation’s Special Envoy for Jammu and Kashmir, Yousef Al Dobeay, from April 19 to 22.
Officials briefed him on the situation in the disputed region of Kashmir while maintaining that the people of Kashmir looked to the Muslim world and the OIC for support in their struggle for self-determination.
Pakistan’s deputy PM briefs Saudi FM on response to India’s actions after Kashmir attack
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Pakistan’s deputy PM briefs Saudi FM on response to India’s actions after Kashmir attack
- Ishaq Dar criticizes India’s ‘baseless’ accusations against Pakistan, cautions against escalatory moves
- Pakistan denies involvement in a militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in which 26 were killed
Pakistan police repel militant attack on Bannu checkpoint, five officers injured
- Police say several attackers killed or wounded in overnight assault in northwest Pakistan
- Incident comes amid surge in militant attacks Pakistan blames on Afghanistan-based groups
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani police said on Friday they repelled an overnight militant attack on a checkpoint in the northwestern district of Bannu, injuring five officers in an area that has seen a sharp rise in militant violence in recent years.
The attack took place late at night at the Sheikh Landak check post, located within the limits of Huweid police station in Bannu, a district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province near the Afghan border. Police said officers responded swiftly, preventing the attackers from overrunning the post.
Militant attacks in Pakistan have surged since 2021, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwestern Balochistan, with security forces frequently targeted. Islamabad says the violence is largely driven by groups it refers to as Fitna Al-Khawarij, a term Pakistani authorities use for militants they say are linked primarily to the Pakistani Taliban and allied factions operating from across the border in Afghanistan. Pakistan has also accused India of backing militant networks involved in attacks, allegations New Delhi denies.
“Late at night, terrorists of Fitna Al-Khawarij carried out a cowardly attack on Sheikh Landak check post,” police said in a statement, adding that officers “displayed full courage, bravery and a timely response, successfully foiling the attack.”
Police said effective retaliatory fire caused “heavy human and material losses” to the attackers, with reports of several militants killed or wounded.
Five police personnel sustained minor injuries during the exchange and were immediately shifted to hospital for treatment, where they are receiving medical care, the statement said.
Following the attack, additional police units were deployed to the area and a search operation was launched to locate any remaining attackers.
Pakistan has repeatedly accused Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government of failing to prevent militant groups from using Afghan territory to launch attacks inside Pakistan. Kabul denies the allegation, saying it does not allow its soil to be used against any country.
The accusations have added to tensions between the two neighbors, who have also seen periodic border clashes over the past year.
