In partnership with
Profit
PM Shehbaz, DG ISPR acclaIM IRan’S Peace effoRtS aMID Pak-InDIa conflIct Sunday, 18 May, 2025 I 20 Ziquad, 1446
g
g
Rs 20.00 | Vol XV No 311 I 8 Pages I Karachi Edition
PM HOLDS TELEPHONIC CONVERSATION g TWO LEADERS EXCHANGE VIEWS ON WITH IRANIAN PRESIDENT, CONVEYS HIS PAKISTAN-IRAN BILATERAL TIES, AGREE TO WARM REGARDS TO SUPREME ENHANCE COOPERATION IN ALL AREAS LEADER KHAMENEI OF SHARED INTEREST
THE DG ISPR APPRECIATES TEHRAN’S g IRAN, PAKISTAN ‘HAVE VERY HISTORICAL AND EFFORTS AND SUPPORT TO HELP BROTHERLY RELATIONS AND ALWAYS STOOD BY DE-ESCALATE TENSIONS IN REGION EACH OTHER IN ALL CHALLENGES AND TRIALS’: DG
Pakistan’s response will be brutal if India attacks again, warns Kh Asif SILAKOT
STAFF REPORT
P
ISLAMABAD STAFF REPORT
RIME Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Inter-Services Public Relations Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Saturday lauded Iran’s peace efforts in the recent Pakistan-India conflict, cautioning against “elements” seeking to drive a wedge between the two brotherly countries. Iran had offered to mediate between India and Pakistan after the former escalated tensions in the wake of deadly Pahalgam attack in the occupied Kashmir, blaming Pakistan without any evidence.
A press release from the PM’s Office said the premier had a telephonic conversation with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. “During their warm and cordial conversation, the prime minister conveyed his warm regards to Supreme Leader Ayatullah Khamenei and thanked President Pezeshkian for Iran’s sincere and brotherly diplomatic efforts to defuse tensions in South Asia. He particularly thanked the president for his telephone call to the prime minister last month as well as for sending Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi to the region during the crisis,” the PMO said. Strongly condemning India’s unpro-
President lauds ‘exemplary conduct, professional excellence’ of armed forces GUJRANWALA
STAFF REPORT
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday warned India against attacking Pakistan again, saying in the event of repeat of its aggression, Pakistan’s response would be stronger. Speaking at a ceremony in Sialkot, he said the way Pakistan downed several Indian fighter jets, it appeared as if they were not planes, but kites. He further said that 10 Indian jets were on Pakistan’s radar. “We will shoot them down in case there is again an en-
voked attacks against Pakistan that led to the deaths of innocent civilians, including women and children, PM Shehbaz said the military had given a “responsible, measured yet befitting and forceful reply to the enemy”. He said Pakistan had always desired peace and it was in this spirit that it had agreed to the ceasefire understanding with India and would remain committed
counter between the two countries.” Asif said that Pakistan’s armed forces’ personnel gave sacrifices in the war against India. He opined that whatever differences which existed between different segments of the Pakistani society disappeared once the war started. The minister said that after suffering defeat at the hands of Pakistani forces, India was now trying to foment unrest in the country’s areas bordering Afghanistan. “But I want to tell India. Our triumph on the western front will be more emphatic.”
to upholding it. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm resolve to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs. However, PM Shehbaz expressed his concern over India’s attempt to unilaterally hold the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, which he pointed out was unlawful and constituted a “red line” for Pakistan as these waters were the lifeline for the nation.
PM tasks Bilawal with taking up Pakistan’s ‘case for peace’ on global diplomatic front
CONTINUED ON PAGE 03
ISLAMABAD
STAFF REPORT
President Asif Ali Zardari Saturday lauded the exemplary conduct and “professional excellence” of the Pakistan Armed Forces in the successful execution of Marqa-e-Haq, acknowledging their “resolute determination and unshakable courage in the face of unprovoked aggression,” according to the military’s media wing. President Asif Ali Zardari made the remarks during a visit to Gujranwala Cantonment, said a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). The President was accompanied by Federal Interior Minister Mohsin Raza Naqvi. Upon arrival, the President was received by Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, NI (M). Commanders of Mangla and Gujranwala Corps were also present on the occasion, the ISPR said. “He paid solemn tribute to the military and civilian martyrs who laid down their lives in defence of the motherland, affirming that their sacrifice remains a sacred trust and a source of enduring national pride. He underscored that the sons of the soil, fortified by the enduring spirit of the nation, stood with unwavering resolve to defend the motherland and thwarted hostile designs with exceptional valour and operational acumen,” the statement stated. The president said history would bear witness to how, “within a matter of hours, the Pakistan Armed Forces repelled aggression with unmatched precision and resolve, sending an unequivocal message” of the country’s strength, resilience and national unity.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday tasked PPP Chairman and former foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari with present Pakistan’s “case for peace” on global diplomatic front in the aftermath of the recent military escalation with India. Sharing the development, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari posted on X, “that he was contacted earlier today by the prime minister who requested that the former top diplomat “lead a delegation to present Pakistan’s case for peace on the international stage”. The PPP chairman said he was honoured to accept the responsibility and remained committed to serving the country in “these challenging times”. The India resorted to unprovoked military confrontation with Pakistan after accusing it of involvement in the attack on tourists in Pahalgam, a town in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir on April 22. On the night of May 6-7, New Delhi launched a series of airstrikes on Pakistan, re-
sulting in civilian casualties. Both sides then exchanged missiles, which stretched over the week, leading Islamabad’s “decisive and resolute” response by downing five Indian jets. It drew intervention by the United States President Trump, finally leading to a ceasefire between the nuclear warring rivals. On May 10, when tensions between the two countries peaked, US President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire had been reached between India and Pakistan. According to the government, 40 civilians — including
seven women and 15 children and 13 armed forces personnel — lost their lives in the Indian aggression, and 121 others sustained injuries. Though a ceasefire has been brokered between the two nuclear rivals, India has since continued its aggressive posturing even as Pakistan has warned against any further military aggression and offered talks. The military flare-up saw China expressing solid diplomatic support to Pakistan, but there wasn’t a country other than Israel to stand with India without hyphenating it with Pakistan.
Uk urges ‘all sides’ to meet treaty obligations amid India’s suspension of IWt ISLAMABAD AGENCIES
UK’s Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs David Lammy on Saturday urged “all sides” to abide by their treaty obligations, referring to India’s move last month to hold the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan in abeyance unilaterally. Delhi’s suspension of its participation in the 1960 IWT was part of its series of measures against Pakistan, which it blamed, without any evidence, for a deadly attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam. Pakistan strongly denied any involvement and offered a neutral probe into it. “We would urge all sides to meet their treaty obligations,” Lammy told Reuters in Islamabad at the end of his two-day visit, when asked about India’s April 23 suspension of the (IWT), potentially squeezing Pakistan’s water supply. The 1960 pact governs the use of the Indus River system. Pakistan has said it would consider “any attempt to stop or divert the flow of water belonging to Pakistan” to be an “act of war”. Islamabad plans to launch international legal action against India over its move. The Pakistan Commission on Indus Waters earlier this month shared a detailed report with the federal government about massive violations of the IWT by New Delhi. During his interview with Reuters, Lammy also said Britain was working with the US to ensure a ceasefire between India and Pakistan endures. “We will continue to work with the United States to ensure that we get an enduring ceasefire, to ensure that dialogue is happening and to work through with Pakistan and India how we can get to confidence and confidence-building measures between the two sides,” Lammy said. “These are two neighbours with a long history but they are two neighbours that have barely been able to speak to one other over this past period, and we want to ensure that we do not see further escalation and that the ceasefire endures,” he added. Pakistan has said Britain and other countries, in addition to the United States, played a major role in de-escalating the fighting. Diplomats and analysts say the ceasefire remains fragile. Lammy also said Britain would continue to work with Pakistan on countering “terrorism”, saying that it is “a terrible blight on this country and its people, and of course on the region”. US averted likely Pak-India nuclear war: Trump Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump said Washington had averted what could have been a nuclear war between Pakistan and India. The military confrontation between India and Pakistan came as tensions over the Pahalgam attack allegations continued to build up. On the night of May 6-7, New Delhi launched a series of air strikes in Punjab and Azad Kashmir, resulting in civilian casualties. Islamabad responded by downing five Indian jets. After intercepting drones sent by India and tit-for-tat strikes on each other’s airbases, it took American intervention for both sides to finally drop their guns. On May 10, when tensions between the two countries peaked, Trump announced that a ceasefire had been reached between India and Pakistan. “The situation had escalated to the point where nuclear war could have broken out,” Trump said in an interview with US outlet Fox News on Friday. Responding to a question about getting both countries to step back from the brink of war, Trump called it a “bigger success than I will ever be given credit for”. “Those are major nuclear powers […] and they were angry. […] It was tit-for-tat, it was getting deeper and more missiles,” he said. He added the next step would have been “the N-word”, responding in the affirmative to the host confirming he meant “nuclear”.
Trump lauds Pakistanis as ‘brilliant’, desires to expand bilateral trade WASHINGTON AGENCIES
United States President Donald Trump has described Pakistanis as “brilliant people” and expressed a strong desire to expand bilateral trade, while claiming credit for averting what he called a near-nuclear conflict between Pakistan and India. Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Trump said his intervention helped bring the two nuclear-armed neighbours back from the brink of war following a period of intense military escalation. “That was going to be a nuclear war, I think, or close… And now everyone’s happy,” Trump said, referring to tensions between the South Asian rivals. “Missiles were being fired, retaliation was underway, and both sides were escalating rapidly.” Trump credited his administration’s behind-the-scenes diplomacy for halting the crisis and said that engaging both sides through trade was part of his peace-building strategy. “I told my people, call them up—let’s start trading immediately,” he said. The president said he had “great conversations” with Pakistani leadership, expressing
optimism about future cooperation. “They would love to trade. They are brilliant people and make incredible products. We don’t do much trading with them,” Trump said. He noted that despite positive relations, trade between the US and Pakistan remains limited. “We can’t forget them because it does take two rectangle,” he added, in what appeared to be a slip of the tongue while attempting to stress the importance of cooperation. Trump used the opportunity to criticise India’s economic policies, calling it “the country with the highest tariffs in the world.” However, he acknowledged that India had shown readiness to reduce tariffs in its trade dealings with Washington. “India… they make it almost impossible to do business,” Trump said. “Do you know that they’re willing to cut 100% of their tariffs for the United States?” Trump went on to characterise his diplomatic efforts as one of the most significant achievements of his presidency. “A bigger success than I’ll ever be given credit for,” he said. “Those are major nuclear powers. Those are not just little powers and they were angry.” Reflecting on the danger of the standoff,
Trump described the escalation as dangerously close to a nuclear exchange. “It was tit for tat. It was getting deeper – more missiles. Everyone was saying ‘stronger, stronger,’ to a point where the next one’s going to be, you know what? The N word,” he said. “It’s the N word. That’s a very nasty word, right? In a lot of ways. The N word used in a nuclear sense—that’s the worst thing that can happen,” he continued. “And I think they were very close. The hatred was great.” Trump framed the episode as a case where diplomacy, combined with economic engagement, prevented a global catastrophe. “I’m using trade to settle scores and to make peace,” he said. Concluding the interview, Trump portrayed himself as a president who delivers results. “We worked not only for world peace, but also for economic progress,” he said. “Trade is a tool for peace.” The latest escalation between Pakistan and India began on April 22, when an attack in the IIOJK resort town of Pahalgam killed 26 people. India immediately blamed Pakistan for the incident, despite providing no public evidence.
In response, India undertook a series of hostile actions the next day on April 23, including suspending the 65-year-old Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), cancelling visas for Pakistani citizens, closing the Wagah-Attari border crossing, ordering the shutdown of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, and reducing diplomatic staff at each
other’s embassies. Pakistan strongly rejected the accusation, calling it unsubstantiated, but took reciprocal measures through its National Security Committee (NSC). These included halting trade with India, closing Pakistani airspace to Indian aircraft, and other countersteps.