Prime Minister Shehbaz has urged an impartial international investigation into the Pahalgam incident which claimed lives of several tourists in Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir, saying the neighbouring country hurled baseless allegations following the attack.
Addressing the passing out parade at the Kakul Academ, the premier highlighted that Pakistan is a frontline state against terrorism.
He said warned that Pakistan would give a befitting response with full force if water was stopped by India in violation of the Indus Water Treaty. “There shouldn’t be any misconception,” he added.
Sharif said Pakistan always rejected terrorism in all its forms, pointing out that it is the most-affected country by this menace in the world.
“We lost 90,000 citizens due to terrorism and suffered losses of billions of dollars.”
He stated that Pakistan, as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, aspired to promote peace and security across the globe and will continue its efforts in this regard.
PM Shehbaz Sharif said, “Afghanistan is our neighboring and brotherly Islamic country, and we wish to have relations with them based on peaceful coexistence”.
However, unfortunately, terrorist activities are being carried out in Pakistan from Afghan soil, he expressed concerned.
He said Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar recently visited Kabul and conveyed that Pakistan wanted good and peaceful relations with Afghanistan, but attacks on Pakistan from Afghan territory cannot be tolerated.
Shehbaz Sharif highlighted that Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had said that Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan.
This international dispute has been awaiting resolution for decades. Kashmiris have sacrificed hundreds of thousands of lives to get freedom, he said and lamented that the international community appeared to have failed in resolving the Kashmir issue.
PM Shehbaz attended the passing out parade as a guest of honour while Chief of Army Staff Gen Asim Munir was guest of honour (military).
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Information Minister Attaullah Tara and several foreign dignitaries attended the parade.