Pak's security huddle authorises armed forces to take action on Indian strikes

Pakistans National Security Council on Wednesday said the countrys armed forces have been duly authorised to undertake retaliation at a time place and manner of its choosing to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives in Indian military strikesPrime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presided over the National Security Council NSC meeting which was attended by cabinet ministers chief ministers all services chiefs and senior officers to discuss the situationIndian armed forces early Wednesday carried out missile strikes on nine terror targets in Pakistan and Pakistanoccupied Kashmir under Operation SindoorAn NSC statement warned that in consonance with Article51 of the UN Charter Pakistan reserves the right to respond in selfdefence at a time place and manner of its choosing to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives in the Indian strikesThe Armed Forces of Pakistan have duly been authorised to undertake corresponding actions in this regard the NSC statement saidSharif is set to hold a cabinet meeting and share details with the nation through his address in the parliamentThe NSC meeting described the strikes as Indias unprovoked and unlawful act of war and said the NSC unequivocally condemned what it called as the blatant violations of Pakistans sovereignty and territorial integrity which manifestly constitutes acts of war under international law the statement saidThe deliberate targeting of civilians including innocent women and children by the Indian military constitutes a heinous and shameful crime that is in violation of all norms of human behaviour and the provisions of international law it saidThe NSC called upon the international community to recognise the gravity of Indias unprovoked illegal actions and to hold it accountable for its blatant violations of international norms and laws the statement addedThe statement further said the Indian strike deliberately targetted the civilian areas on the false pretext of presence of imaginary terrorist camps resulting in the deaths of innocent men women and children and causing damage to the civilian infrastructure including mosques it saidThe NSC statement further claimed that Indias strikes also caused grave danger to commercial airlines belonging to Gulf countries endangering the lives of thousands of onboard passengersBesides the NeelumJhelum Hydropower project was also deliberately targeted in violation of international conventions it claimedAfter the NSC meeting was over it was announced that Sharif will hold a cabinet meeting at 330 pm to further discuss the developments Later he would share the decisions regarding the ongoing tension with the nation through his address in the parliament officials saidEarlier the Pakistan army said that at least 26 people were killed and 46 injured in the Indian strikes launched shortly after midnight on cities in the Punjab province and Pakistanoccupied Kashmir PoKOperation Sindoor was launched in retaliation for the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmirs Pahalgam on April 22 that killed 26 people Citing crossborder linkages to the horrific attack India has promised severe punishment to those involved in the strikeThe NSC statement said that Pakistan emphatically rejected Indian allegations claiming the presence of terrorist camps on its territory It said Pakistan had made a sincere offer for a credible transparent and neutral investigation in the April 22 attacks which unfortunately was not acceptedThe statement added that attacking its innocent people is neither tolerable nor acceptable to Pakistan and claimed India against all sanity and rationality has once again ignited an inferno in the region the responsibility for ensuing consequences shall lie squarely with IndiaThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoeveratOptionskeyd0ddb8ef8f1a62a8cdd22fac27fc5ea7formatiframeheight90width728params