Pakistan Condemns India’s Aggression, Asserts Right to Retaliate After Rejected Inquiry Offer

Pakistan’s Foreign Office has issued a scathing condemnation of India’s aggressive actions, accusing New Delhi of rejecting a proposed investigation into the April 22 Pahalgam attack and instead opting for military strikes that threaten regional stability. In a weekly press briefing, Foreign Office spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan asserted Pakistan’s right to retaliate, emphasizing that India’s unprovoked attacks on May 7, targeting Pakistani cities with drones and shelling, violated international law and challenged Pakistan’s sovereignty.

Khan highlighted that India’s refusal to engage in a transparent inquiry into the Pahalgam incident, which killed 26 tourists in Indian-administered Kashmir, was a pretext for launching “Operation Sindoor,” a series of strikes that resulted in 40 civilian deaths in Pakistan, including five from recent shelling along the Line of Control (LoC). He accused India of spreading false propaganda to justify its aggression and called on the international community to hold India accountable for its actions, particularly its use of social media claims to legitimize attacks.

The spokesperson also condemned India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Water Treaty, which has reduced the Chenab River’s flow by 90%, threatening Pakistan’s agricultural economy. “India cannot unilaterally suspend the Indus Water Treaty,” Khan stated, rejecting statements by India’s Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. He cited historical precedents, noting that investigations into the Mumbai and Pathankot attacks were stalled due to India’s lack of cooperation, and pointed to the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav as evidence of India’s “extremist” activities.

Khan further revealed that parts of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project were damaged in India’s recent attacks, underscoring the economic toll on Pakistan, a predominantly agrarian nation. He accused India of consistently bullying smaller neighboring countries and referenced India’s role in bringing the Jammu and Kashmir issue to the UN, only to now defy international norms.

Pakistan’s Prime Minister had called for a full inquiry into the Pahalgam attack, but India’s choice of aggression has escalated tensions, with Pakistan’s military destroying 77 Indian drones and multiple military posts in retaliation. Khan reiterated that Pakistan, under the UN Charter, reserves the right to respond to India’s actions while exercising maximum restraint to preserve regional peace. As global powers urge de-escalation, the standoff remains a critical threat to South Asia’s stability, with Pakistan demanding accountability for India’s violations.