Islamabad: Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday said Pakistan was ready to defend itself as he summoned a meeting of the federal cabinet for Friday amid growing tension with India. The PM declared that Pakistan’s armed forces were fully capable of defending the territorial integrity of the country.
Condemning the “unprovoked and naked aggression of Indian forces” along the Line of Control (LoC), he said Pakistan can thwart any “evil design” to undermine the sovereignty of Pakistan. He later reviewed Pakistan’s defence preparedness, holding talks with army chief Raheel Sharif and other top aides.
Sharif and Raheel had a telephonic conversation during which they discussed situation at the Line of Control, local media reported. Raheel apprised the premier over the firing incidents at the LoC, the reports said, adding the army chief told him that Indian claims of surgical strikes were “baseless”.
Sharif told the army chief that the entire nation had high morale and was committed to defend the motherland along with the armed forces. Pakistan later summoned Indian high commissioner Gautam Bambawale over the surgical strikes.
Foreign Secretary Aizaz Chaudhry “condemned the unprovoked firing by” Indian forces on the Line of Control (LoC) in which two Pakistani soldiers were killed, Pakistan Foreign Office said in a statement.
“These incidents are a continuation of a pattern of ceasefire violations committed by India. He (Chaudhry) conveyed that the Armed Forces of Pakistan will continue to give a befitting response to any act of aggression,” the statement said.
