PM Nawaz says Pakistan ready to counter any threat

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GEO NEWS
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ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the federal cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was held on Friday to discuss the situation in Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK) and the recent ceasefire violations by Indian forces at the Line of Control (LoC).

The federal cabinet condemned the ongoing Indian aggression in IoK and the unprovoked firing by Indian forces at the LoC yesterday due to which two Pakistani soldiers were martyred.

The cabinet dismissed Indian claim of surgical strike and said the Indian forces violated the ceasefire by unprovoked firing at the LoC.

The act violated international rules as well as bilateral agreements, the cabinet said.

Lauding the Pakistan Armed Forces, the cabinet said the forces gave a befitting response to the Indian aggression.

The cabinet also dismissed Indian accusations relating to Uri attack, saying that the allegations were ‘baseless’ and Modi’s statements were proof of Indian intervention in Pakistan.

The cabinet added that the Indian accusations were an attempt to remove the world’s attention from IoK.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif slammed Indian aggression at the LoC and said Pakistan is ready to counter any external threat.

“The entire nation and the government stand with the Armed Forces,” he said.

Every Pakistani is ready to defend the country and no one would be allowed to look at Pakistan with an evil eye, the prime minister said. 

The prime minister reiterated that Pakistan stands in solidarity with the people of IoK who are struggling for their right to self-determination.

He said Kashmir is an incomplete agenda of the partition of the sub-continent, adding that Indian atrocities in the region cannot suppress the spirit of Kashmiris.

“Indian barbarity in IoK is unacceptable,” he said.

The prime minister also apprised the federal cabinet of details of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session and his meetings with world leaders.

He said the government is determined to eliminate poverty and unemployment, adding that Pakistan wishes for regional and world peace.

Prime Minister Nawaz also briefed the cabinet on important steps needed to be taken on IoK and recent ceasefire violations at the LoC, for which a joint parliamentary session of the Parliament has also been summoned on Wednesday.

Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry briefed the cabinet on the Kashmir issue.

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said any armed conflict between the two nuclear-armed rivals would cause destruction in the region. He said Pakistan is fully prepared to combat Indian aggression.

Khawaja Asif further said India would gain nothing from its atrocities in IoK.

Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign Affairs and Security, Sartaj Aziz said Modi’s government wants to avoid resolving the Kashmir issue.

Sartaj Aziz said Pakistan would continue moral, diplomatic and political support of the Kashmiris.

On Thursday two Pakistani soldiers embraced martyrdom when Indian forces resorted to unprovoked firing across the LoC.

The unprovoked fire was painted as a surgical strike by senior Indian officials, in a move apparently aimed to satisfy the public.

Pakistan rebuffed the claims with the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) saying, "There has been no surgical strike by India, instead there had been cross-border fire initiated and conducted by Indian forces which is an existential phenomenon".

Of late, tensions soared high between the two nuclear-armed adversaries over occupied Kashmir and an attack on Indian army's brigade headquarters in Uri, which left 18 soldiers dead.