In partnership with
Profit
PAKISTAN DESIRES PEACE, BUT PREPARED TO RESPOND SWIFTLY TO ANY AGGRESSION: DG ISPR Monday, 5 May, 2025 | 7 Ziquad, 1446
g
DG ISPR GEN AHMED SHARIF, INFORMATION MINISTER BRIEF MAJOR POLITICAL PARTIES ON NATIONAL SECURITY SITUATION AT IN-CAMERA BRIEFING SESSION DEMONSTRATES RARE NATIONAL UNITY, CROSS-PARTY CONSENSUS DURING TIME OF HEIGHTENED EXTERNAL SECURITY THREAT
A g
ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
MID the simmering escalation with India, top Pakistani military and government officials held an in-camera session on Sunday to brief members of political parties on regional security developments and preparedness of the armed forces, state-run broadcaster PTV News reported, quoting sources. Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar updated the participants of the high-level briefing held in Islamabad. During Sunday’s briefing, political leaders were informed of the current security environment, the armed forces’ op-
erational readiness, and Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts. DG ISPR reaffirmed Pakistan’s desire for regional peace but warned that the military is fully prepared to respond to any aggression. “Pakistan is a peaceful nation,” he stated, “but any imposed conflict will be met with a swift and forceful response.” Tarar also updated party leaders on the government’s diplomatic outreach and reiterated the state’s position: a commitment to peace, readiness for defense, and a demand for credible international scrutiny into the Pahalgam incident. State broadcaster PTV and Radio Pakistan emphasized that the session demonstrated rare national unity and cross-party consensus during a time of elevated external threat. The session focused on recent regional developments following the April
g
TARAR UPDATES PARTIES LEADERS ON GOVT’S DIPLOMATIC OUTREACH AND REITERATES STATE’S COMMITMENT TO PEACE, READINESS FOR DEFENSE
22 attack in Pahalgam, located in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which left 26 people dead in one of the deadliest assaults since 2000. India was quick to suggest cross-border involvement, despite offering no evidence. Pakistan has firmly denied the allegations and called for an impartial and transparent investigation into the attack, which it views as a possible falseflag operation. Since the incident, bilateral relations have sharply deteriorated. India has revoked Pakistani visas, suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, increased military deployments, and hinted at possible airstrikes. In response, Pakistan expelled Indian diplomats, cancelled visas—except for Sikh pilgrims—and reinforced its border defenses. Meanwhile, exchanges of fire across the Line of Control (LoC) and tit-for-tat military and diplomatic moves have raised concerns of further escalation.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 03
Pakistan decides to brief UN Security Council on regional tensions with India ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
Pakistan on Sunday officially decided to convene an urgent session of the UN Security Council to brief it on the current regional situation in view of the escalating tensions with India over April 22 attack in India occupied Kashmir which left 26 people dead, state-run media reported. To this respect, Deputy Prime Min-
ister Ishaq Dar has directed Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations Asim Iftikhar Ahmad to take immediate steps to convene a meeting of the UN Security Council, Radio Pakistan reported. “Pakistan will inform the UN Security Council about India’s aggressive actions, provocations, and inflammatory statements. It will specifically highlight India’s illegal measures aimed at suspending the Indus Water Treaty (IWT),”
Rs 50.00 | Vol XV No 298 | 40 Pages | Lahore Edition
the Foreign Ministry said in a statement. Tensions running high between nuclear-armed arch-rivals over the last month’s Pahalgam attack, a touristic resort in the Indian occupied Kashmir. India quickly blamed Pakistan, for the Pahalgam attack without any evidence, saying it had “cross-border links.” Islamabad however denied the accusations and instead offered a neutral probe with third-party monitoring. Besides, Pakistan will make it clear
PTI decides against attending security briefing
ISLAMABAD (Staff RepoRt) : Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sunday refused to attend the in-camera session arranged to brief all political parties on the regional security developments in wake of India escalating moves following Pahalgam attacks in Occupied Kashmir. The party claimed that briefing was not enough rather it was need of the hour the government took all political parties on board about the situation. In a statement on X, PTI said its participation in the briefing was “unnecessary” as the party believed there was “no serious attempt to create a national consensus” by the government and that there was no intention to include PTI founder Imran Khan either.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 03 that how India’s aggressive actions are endangering peace and security in South Asia and beyond. This important diplomatic initiative is part of Pakistan’s efforts to present accurate facts to the international community. Notably, Pakistan is currently one of 10 non-permanent members of the Council. A day earlier, Pakistan’s Permanent Representative to UN Asim Iftikhar Ahmad declared Pakistan does not want the already fraught situation in the region to escalate, but there should be no doubt that it is fully prepared, and capable of defending itself against any act of aggression.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 03
IN TODAY’S ISSUE
ATTENTION Some readers have complained that they are not getting the magazine with their newspaper copy. Please call or WhatsApp us at the following number to register a complaint. Contact: 0307-7338168
Iranian FM arrives in Pakistan today to strengthen bilateral ties
irfan.farooq@pakistantoday.com.pk
ARAGHCHI WILL MEET PRESIDENT ZARDARI, PM SHEHBAZ AND FM DAR DURING HIS VISIT TO ISLAMABAD ISLAMABAD
Staff RepoRt
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi is arriving in Pakistan on an officials visit on Monday (today) to strengthen the brotherly and historic relations between the two countries, state-run media reported on Sunday. “Araghchi will call on the President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Ishaq Dar, during his visit to Islamabad”, the foreign ministry said in a statement. “This high-level visit reflects the deep-rooted and strong relationship between Pakistan and the brotherly nation of Iran,” the Pakistani foreign ministry said in a statement. “It also underscores the two countries’ shared commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation across all areas of mutual interest. The two sides will also exchange views on regional and global developments.” “The visit of Foreign Minister Araghchi is expected to further strengthen the existing ties and enhance cooperation between the two countries,” the ministry added. Pakistan and Iran enjoy have tied in historic cultural, religious an economic relations and have signed several pacts in trade, energy and security in recent years. Though the two countries had been at odds over instability on their shared porous border, they have quickly moved to ease tensions each time. Araghchi’s visit, his second since Nov. last year, coincides with heightened tensions in the region since India blamed Pakistan for a ‘cross-border’ attack in the occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that killed 26 tourists on April 22.