ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday declared that Pakistan will defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity by all means, following a series of missile strikes by India that left multiple civilians dead.
Condemning the Indian air assault as an unprovoked act of aggression, Dar said the strikes—targeting six locations across Pakistan—violated the country’s sovereignty, the UN Charter, and international law.
“India’s reckless attack has jeopardized regional peace. Pakistan reserves the right to respond under Article 51 of the UN Charter,” he posted on X.
The missile barrage struck Bahawalpur, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad late Monday night, killing eight civilians and injuring 35 others, according to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry stated that the strikes were met with immediate retaliation, including the downing of five Indian jets.
Dar described India’s action as part of a “choreographed” response to the Pahalgam incident in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which New Delhi blamed on Pakistan without evidence. “We had intelligence of a possible attack. Restraint was exercised deliberately—only jets that dropped payloads were targeted,” he revealed. “Otherwise, 10 to 12 aircraft could have been taken down.”
He added that India’s offensive not only targeted Pakistani territory but also endangered international air traffic and escalated tensions in a fragile region.
“The people of Pakistan stand united, and we will not hesitate to act when our sovereignty is threatened,” Dar said.
