Pakistan approves military action, calls Indian strikes ‘unprovoked act of war’
The decision was taken at a National Security Council meeting that accused India of ‘igniting a regional inferno’
A still from the Pakistan NSC meeting that was presided over by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. (Photo: @Waseem165Raza/X)
Islamabad, May 7: Pakistan has authorised its armed forces to retaliate in response to the loss of civilian lives in "Operation Sindoor".
The decision was taken during a meeting of the country’s National Security Council (NSC) that was presided over by Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by cabinet ministers, chief ministers, all services chiefs and senior officers, on Wednesday.
An NSC statement warned that in consonance with Article-51 of the UN Charter, Pakistan reserves the right to respond, in self-defence, "at a time, place, and manner of its choosing" to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives in the Indian strikes.
"The Armed Forces of Pakistan have duly been authorised to undertake corresponding actions in this regard," the NSC statement said.
Describing the strikes as India's "unprovoked" and unlawful act of war", the NSC "unequivocally condemned" what it called as the blatant violations of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
"The deliberate targeting of civilians, including innocent women and children, by the Indian military constitutes a heinous and shameful crime that is in violation of all norms of human behaviour and the provisions of international law," it said.
The statement further said, the Indian strike deliberately targetted the civilian areas, "on the false pretext of presence of imaginary terrorist camps”.
The statement added that attacking its innocent people "is neither tolerable nor acceptable to Pakistan" and claimed, "India, against all sanity and rationality, has once again ignited an inferno in the region, the responsibility for ensuing consequences shall lie squarely with India."
The NSC called upon the international community to recognise "the gravity of India's unprovoked illegal actions" and to hold it accountable for its blatant violations of international norms and laws, the statement added.
Besides, the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower project was also deliberately targeted in violation of international conventions, it claimed.
After the NSC meeting was over, it was announced that Sharif will hold a cabinet meeting at 3:30 pm to further discuss the developments. "Later, he would share the decisions regarding the ongoing tension with the nation through his address in the parliament," officials said.
Earlier, the Pakistan army said that at least 26 people were killed and 46 injured in the Indian strikes launched shortly after midnight on cities in the Punjab province and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
Operation Sindoor was launched in retaliation for the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 people. Citing "cross-border linkages" to the horrific attack, India has promised severe punishment to those involved in the strike.
-PTI