ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday urged the international community to hold India accountable for what he described as “acts of war” earlier this month, saying the region could not afford New Delhi’s “irresponsible and unlawful actions.”
Sharif made the remarks during a meeting with Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in Dushanbe, where the two leaders discussed regional security, economic ties and cooperation on climate issues.
His statement came just days after a military confrontation between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, which saw the two countries exchange missile, drone and artillery fire between them.
Sharif arrived in Tajikistan’s capital on the final leg of a five-day regional diplomacy tour that earlier took him to Türkiye, Iran and Azerbaijan, as Islamabad seeks to reinforce strategic ties and shore up support following the South Asian standoff.
He was received in Dushanbe by Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasulzoda and later attended a bilateral meeting with President Rahmon at the Qasr-e-Millat.
“The Prime Minister underscored that our region could not afford India’s irresponsible and unlawful actions since 7 May 2025, which amounted to acts of war and violation the UN Charter and international law,” a statement released by his office said after the meeting. “The Prime Minister urged the international community to hold India accountable, reiterating that Pakistan desires peace, but will defend its sovereignty with full resolve if challenged.”
President Rahmon, expressing concern over the recent conflict, said he was “very worried” about the events of early May and praised Sharif’s leadership in helping restore peace and stability. He also called Pakistan a “trusted partner” and reaffirmed Tajikistan’s commitment to deepening cooperation across all sectors.
The two leaders reviewed progress under the Strategic Partnership Agreement signed in 2024 and pledged to expand collaboration in trade, defense, education, technology and counterterrorism. They also agreed to accelerate work on the CASA-1000 energy project, a regional initiative to transmit surplus hydroelectric power from Central Asia to South Asia, which they termed a “pivotal initiative” for regional integration.
Sharif underscored Pakistan’s push for deeper connectivity with Central Asia through infrastructure and transit links, citing the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a linchpin of that strategy. He also briefed the Tajik president on Pakistan’s role in regional peace efforts and acknowledged Tajikistan’s leadership in water diplomacy and glacier preservation.
The Pakistani prime minister is in Dushanbe to attend the International High-Level Conference on Glaciers’ Preservation, where he is expected to speak on the impact of climate change on Pakistan and call for stronger global cooperation on environmental issues.
Earlier this week, Sharif held talks in Türkiye, Iran and Azerbaijan, including a trilateral summit with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev in Lachin, where the three leaders pledged to deepen regional cooperation and transform fraternal ties into a strategic partnership.
