Be prepared for any situation
Imran to military, people
News18, Islamabad
Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has asked the armed forces and the people of Pakistan to remain prepared for all eventualities as the country strongly rejected Indias claim of targeting a terrorist camp near Balakot and causing heavy casualties. It also vowed to respond at the time and place of its choosing to what it called was Indias uncalled for aggression. Imran Khan also had telephonic conversations with UAE Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan as well as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman over the issue, said Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, terming the situation as serious. A statement issued after a special meeting of the National Security Committee, hours after Indias air strikes in Balakot inside Pakistan, said, Forum (NSC) strongly rejected Indian claim of targeting an alleged terrorist camp near Balakot and the claim of heavy casualties. Once again Indian government has resorted to a self-serving, reckless and fictitious claim. The countrys top security body concluded that India has committed uncalled for aggression to which Pakistan shall respond at the time and place of its choosing, it added.
It also invited the world media to see the facts on ground and proposed a visit to the site. The statement claimed that the action has been done for domestic consumption being in election environment, putting regional peace and stability at grave risk.
To take the nation on board, the government has decided to requisition a joint session of the Parliament, the statement said.
Prime Minister Khan also summoned a special meeting of the National Command Authority (NCA) on Wednesday. Khan will also engage with global leadership to expose irresponsible Indian policy in the region, the statement added.
Later addressing a joint press conference with the ministers of defence and finance, Qureshi asserted that Pakistan will respond to Indian aggression. He announced that a three-member committed, including him, finance minister and defence minister, has been formed to approach the parliament to take the people and other parties into confidence on the evolving situation.
Responding to questions, Qureshi claimed that multi-dimensional intrusion was attempted by the Indian fighter jets early Tuesday. But the intervention by Pakistani jets forced them to return back within minutes.
He dismissed the notion that Pakistan Air Force (PAF) jets were late in responding to the Indian attack, saying PAF jets were ready and air-borne. Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif has urged India to refrain from plunging the region into war. Following the development, Sharif called on the Indian leadership to rethink its war strategy and warned that if India initiated a war, then Pakistan would hoist its flag in New Delhi, Geo News reported.
The Indian leadership should come to its senses and act responsibly and should not (plunge) the people of South Asia into war, Sharif said. It will be a significant mistake on the Indian side to mistake Pakistans stance as weakness, said the Leader of Opposition in the National Assembly.
