Pakistan can’t be bullied, says PM

Nawaz warns India of befitting response to unprovoked firing

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Tuesday that Pakistan was fully capable of defending against any belligerence, and could not be bullied by Indian tactics and its restraint should not be misunderstood as weakness.

Sharif’s remarks came a day after seven Pakistan Army soldiers were killed as a result of unprovoked Indian shelling across the Line of Control in Bhimber Sector.



“Pakistan cannot be bullied by such tactics as we are fully capable of defending our soil against any belligerence,” Sharif said while chairing a high-level meeting at the Prime Minister House to review the situation arising out of frequent ceasefire violations by India along the LoC.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz briefed Sharif on the latest situation along the LoC and the  response the government has given to the latest unprovoked Indian firing that led to the deaths of seven soldiers.

The prime minister, while expressing grief and extending heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims, said Pakistan was exercising ‘maximum restraint’ in the face of Indian firing, which should not be “misunderstood as our weakness”.

“It is also a futile attempt of the Indian authorities to divert the world’s attention from the worst kind of atrocities they are committing” in Kashmir, the prime minister said in a statement.

He called on the United Nations to take notice of ceasefire violations along the LoC. “Our armed forces do not initiate fire but will always respond in a befitting manner to any aggression,” Sharif said.

Aziz said so far 26 civilians have died while 107 gotten injured in recent incidents of firing by Indian forces, adding, “This is against the 2003 ceasefire and international law”.

The premier was also briefed on the Pakistan-US relations against the backdrop of the recent presidential elections. Sharif said Pakistan looks forward to working closely with the newly elected government for peace, security and prosperity in the region and beyond.

Sharif said Pakistan and the US enjoyed strong and strategic partnership spanning over a period of seven decades. “Pakistan looks forward to closely working with the newly elected government for realisation of peace, security and prosperity in the region and beyond,” he added.

The meeting was also attended besides others by National Security Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Nasser Khan Janjua and Special Assistant Tariq Fatemi.

Relief package

A special package for the victims of Indian firing along the LoC would soon be announced, the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) government said on Tuesday.

Participants of the meeting, presided over by AJK Prime Minister Farooq Haider Khan, were briefed about the damages and losses incurred by the civilians from unprovoked firing by Indian troops along the LoC.



Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) Barjees Tahir was also present in the meeting to chalk out a plan for the rehabilitation of the victims.

Barjees assured the meeting that federal government would leave no stone unturned for the rehabilitation of the victims and their need will be fulfilled on a priority basis. The federal minister also vowed to provide funds to the AJK government from the Kashmir Council.

“The population facing the bullets on LoC are great people and to look after them is the prime duty and responsibility of both the federal and AJK governments,” Barjees said adding that all available resources would be utilised to provide immediate relief to the victims.

He further said that the money of AJK would be used inside the state not outside of AJK or other parts of the country.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 16^th, 2016.