PM Shehbaz warns India over water, says ‘every drop’ is Pakistan’s red line

Pays tribute to martyrs, praises Field Marshal Munir at Yadgar-e-Fatah inauguration

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday warned India against any attempt to deprive Pakistan of its water, declaring every drop of the country’s water a “red line” and saying Islamabad would give a direct response if New Delhi did not “come to the right path”.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of Yadgar-e-Fatah in Islamabad, PM Shehbaz congratulated the nation on last year’s historic victory over India in Marka-e-Haq, while especially praising the leadership of the Chief of Defence Forces and the Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir.

While paying tribute to Field Marshal Munir, the premier said that at that decisive juncture, his courageous and inspiring leadership, coupled with the bravery and courage demonstrated by the armed forces in inflicting a humiliating defeat on the enemy, had become an unforgettable chapter in history.

He also hailed the leadership of the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu, and the Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, while also acknowledging the artistry of the makers of the Yadgar-e-Fatah monument, who completed the monument in a brief period of just eight months.

“Yadgar-e-Fatah is not merely a structure made of bricks; it is a tribute to the great martyrs who, driven by the spirit of sacrifice for the defence of the motherland, laid down their lives for their country,” he said, adding that the monument was a symbol of the unity of a great nation that stood shoulder to shoulder with its armed forces in the most difficult of times.

“This victory is the victory of our armed forces, the victory of the Pakistani people, and a crown of honour for all of us,” the prime minister said.

He once again reiterated that Pakistan wanted peace, not war, while warning that its desire for peace should not be mistaken for weakness.

“We stand for peace with honour and dignity and, Alhamdulillah, have become a guarantor of stability in the region,” he said.

He said the victory had enhanced Pakistan’s prestige around the world to an unprecedented extent, adding that there was no parallel to it in the contemporary era. He warned India that if it failed to acknowledge this reality, it would face an even more humiliating defeat than the one it suffered in May 2025.

“If this reality has still not been understood by anyone, our message is clear: they should remember their humiliating defeat. If anyone again, even by mistake, challenges Pakistan’s sovereignty and independence, they will be given an even stronger response than in May 2025,” he warned.

The prime minister strongly condemned India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, declaring water a “red line” for Pakistan.

“Every drop of Pakistan’s water is our red line. If India does not come to the right path, it will be given a direct response,” he said.

Expressing his resolve to put the country on the path of progress and development, he said Pakistan must be transformed into a country where people living in all four provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir could collectively achieve the milestones of development.

He also stressed the importance of information technology and artificial intelligence in the present era, describing them as drivers of major change. He said only those nations that knew how to live with IT and AI would survive in the modern world and urged the nation to adapt accordingly.

Addressing the event, the prime minister said Pakistan wanted to see the region and the world free of conflicts and sought to have disputes resolved in accordance with the principles of justice and the United Nations. He said Pakistan also wanted the world to remain protected from new conflicts.

“This was the spirit under which Pakistan played the role of a responsible mediator between Iran and the United States,” he said, adding that this was the true introduction and identity of Pakistan. He also praised Field Marshal Munir for playing a historic role in promoting peace in the Middle East.

Referring to the defence pact with Saudi Arabia signed last year, he said the agreement had also been reached in the same spirit, adding that Turkiye had now become part of the trilateral agreement reached in Makkah.

“This is a harbinger of peace for the Middle East, a message of peace for the Muslim world and a message of peace for the entire world,” he said.

He thanked Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, while also praising the efforts of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and Field Marshal Munir.

The prime minister also expressed his desire for peace in Afghanistan, but said the use of Afghan soil for terrorism against Pakistan was unacceptable.

“We are neighbours and will remain so forever. My sincere advice to the Afghan leadership is that it should immediately stop its territory from becoming a sanctuary for terrorists,” he said.

Thanking China and President Xi Jinping, the prime minister said Pakistan-China friendship was higher than the Himalayas, adding that China had stood by Pakistan like a rock in every difficult moment.

He also thanked US President Donald Trump for his role in securing a ceasefire between Pakistan and India last year, saying his timely intervention had saved millions of people from the consequences of conflict.

“Pakistan-US relations are steadily progressing, and we hope they will become stronger and more dynamic in the future,” he said.

The prime minister urged the nation to maintain the same spirit of unity in times of peace as it had demonstrated during difficult days.

“Today, there is a need to forget our differences, bury hatred and revive affection. Pakistan belongs to everyone. All are its heirs and all are responsible for it,” he said.

The prime minister said differences of opinion were a fundamental right, but when they were turned into hostility, national strength was transformed into weakness.

Zardari rejects ‘Greater Israel’ vision

Addressing the event, President Asif Ali Zardari also praised the courageous leadership of Field Marshal Asim Munir, saying that under his command, the armed forces had given a befitting response to the Indian military and made it clear to Pakistan’s neighbour that the country was not one to be taken lightly.

Praising the role of the country’s leadership, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Munir, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, in promoting Islamic brotherhood, he said the vision had been conceived long ago by former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who had invited leaders from across the Muslim world to Lahore for the Islamic Summit Conference.

Describing the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement as a tribute to Prime Minister Shehbaz, Field Marshal Munir, and Deputy Prime Minister Dar, he said Pakistan would continue to work with countries that come together to make the world a better place.

Describing the situation in Gaza as unacceptable, President Zardari criticised Israel, saying that since its establishment, it had only played “war games” with the world. He said Pakistan would not allow Israel to take over the region.

“Greater Israel is a dream which somebody saw on a wrong day,” he said.

He said that an independent Palestine was what Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had envisioned, and that Pakistan was following that vision and would continue to do so for generations to come.

Earlier, President Zardari and PM Shehbaz inaugurated the Yadgar-e-Fatah monument in Islamabad, built to honour the country’s martyrs and commemorate the victory in Marka-e-Haq, on the eve of Pakistan’s 80th Independence Day.

President Zardari attended the ceremony as the chief guest. PM Shehbaz, Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Babar Sidhu, Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Naveed Ashraf, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, and Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi were also present.

Other notable attendees included foreign dignitaries, military officers, ministers and families of martyrs who laid down their lives for the motherland.

The armed forces, civil armed forces and contingents from all four provinces participated in the ceremony. They presented a guard of honour to the president, the premier and CDF Munir upon their arrival.

The monument commemorates Pakistan’s victory over India in the brief military conflict in May last year, during which the country shot down more than six Indian fighter jets and demonstrated its professional expertise across various domains.

The term “Marka-e-Haq” refers to the 2025 conflict with India, which began with the April 22 Pahalgam attack and concluded with a ceasefire on May 10 following Operation Bunyanum Marsoos.

More to follow....