Pakistan warns of strong response to Indian escalation as forces on alert

“The world leaders have been requesting the exercise of restraint in recent days. I have made it very clear, on behalf of the government and the nation, that Pakistan will not be the first one to resort to any escalatory move. However, in case of any escalatory move by the Indian side, we will respond very strongly,” Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Mohammed Ishaq Dar said addressing a news conference here along with Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt. General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry and Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan.

Brushing aside the Indian allegations against Pakistan following the Pahalgam incident without an “iota of evidence and with such dramatic speed,” he said Pakistan had nothing to do with it.

“We demand an independent and transparent probe by neutral investigators, as announced by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Any TORs in this regard should be credible and mutually agreed upon.

“Pakistan has neither any connection … nor is the potential beneficiary. At a time when the economy is stabilising and we are making significant progress against terrorism, we need to question why this situation is being created by India all of a sudden and what is the motivation behind it.”

He said holding in abeyance the Indus Waters Treaty by India was unilateral and illegal as the Treaty contained no such provisions and any amendment or termination required consensus. In case of disagreements or issues, there are forums provided in the treaty which should be invoked,” he added.

“Pakistan is an agrarian economy, millions of people are dependent on the waters being regulated by this treaty. We gave up three rivers in this treaty and I can hardly find a water distribution treaty in the world whereby, a part of dealing with the distribution of water, the rivers could have also been given up.”

Dar said the National Security Committee had made it “very clear” that any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan, as per the IWT and the usurpation of the rights of the lower riparian, would be considered an “act of war”.