Lashing out at unprovoked Indian strikes that left at least 31 civilians martyred and 57 injured, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday pledged that every drop of martyrs’ blood shed in the attack will be accounted for.
In a televised address to the nation, PM Shehbaz said that India had committed a grave mistake last night by resorting to aggression and thought that Pakistan would back off, but New Delhi would have to face the consequences of its actions.
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“India forgets that Pakistani nation had the brave sons who always fought for the respect and defence of the motherland by shedding the last drop of their blood,” the premier added.
He said the entire world witnessed that within few hours, their enemy though large in numbers was bowed down after Pakistan Air Force (PAF) eagles shot down five Indian combat jets and reduced them to pile of fragments and ashes which was once considered as their pride.
“It (response) has the thunderous sound of squadron leader MM Alam that struck the enemy strongly,” he observed.
He referred to funeral prayer of Shaheed Irtaza Abbas, seven-year old, who lost his life after hit with a splinter in his home where he was present with his mother and a brother.
“A tender flower withered away and attained shahadat,” he said, adding the nation paid tribute to martyrs and their families and prayed for the recovery of the injured.
“The timid enemy is attacking innocent people. Pakistan has proved how to respond with solid blow,” he added.
The PM said that in one-hour fight on the Line of Control (LoC), PAF pilots while flying inside territory and with display of bravery and professionalism, reduced enemy’s jets to ashes. In conventional warfare, Pakistan also proved its superiority over its enemy.
He said that he along with the entire 240 million people of the country saluted Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Babar Sidhu, Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf and every officer and soldier of Pakistan.
The prime minister regretted that accusations against Pakistan with regard to Pahalgam attack were unreasonable.
As a peaceful country, he said, Pakistan had offered an international transparent and credible probe which was acknowledged by the world, but India obliterated all the international laws and norms by resorting to aggression.
Under the international laws and the UNSC resolutions, Kashmir had been and would remain as a globally recognised dispute until Kashmiris exercised their right to self-determination in a free and impartial environment in accordance with the UN resolutions.
“India can take a hundred decisions, but it cannot change the reality,” he emphasised.
In this region, he said, Pakistan had been the most affected country from the scourge of terrorism and in this fight, a total of 90,000 people had lost their lives with damages to the tune of $152 million dollars.
He said that it was a vain thinking on part of India that her aggression would divert attention of Pakistan from fighting terrorism, but it was committed to end it forever.
For the protection of Pakistan’s sovereignty and solidarity, the prime minister said, the armed forces and people were standing in unity.
The nation fully backed its valiant armed forces and would face and defeat the enemy together, he added.