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<\/p>\nKAMRA \/ PASRUR, Thursday, May 15, 2025 : Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reiterated Pakistan\u2019s willingness to hold peace talks with India, but stressed that any dialogue must center on the Kashmir dispute and the right to self-determination for the Kashmiri people, in line with UN Security Council resolutions.<\/p>\n
Speaking during a visit to the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) base in Kamra, the prime minister made the remarks while addressing airmen and officers who participated in what he called \u201cone of the longest aerial engagements of the 21st century.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe desire peace, but not at the cost of our national dignity or regional justice. Talks are possible\u2014but only if India is ready to discuss Kashmir and grant the Kashmiris their UN-mandated right to self-determination,\u201d the prime minister said.<\/p>\n
He also denounced India\u2019s baseless accusations against Pakistan over the Pahalgam incident, urging an impartial international investigation. \u201cInstead of seeking truth, India chose aggression. But Pakistan\u2019s armed forces responded with unmatched courage and professionalism,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Praising the operational excellence of the PAF, Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistani pilots had decisively crushed the illusion of Indian air superiority.<\/p>\n
> \u201cThe Shaheens of Pakistan Air Force not only defended our skies but rewrote the region\u2019s military history. Their swift and precise action downed six enemy aircraft\u2014including a Rafale and a Mirage 2000\u2014reaffirming our dominance in the air.\u201d<\/p>\n
He noted that the conflict, which raged from May 6 to May 10, had shifted regional dynamics. \u201cThis was a magnificent victory that stunned the world and altered the strategic balance of South Asia,\u201d he said, adding that the performance of Pakistan\u2019s armed forces boosted international confidence in the country\u2019s military capability.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The prime minister was accompanied by Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, COAS General Syed Asim Munir, Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu, Naval Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf, and several senior military and civilian officials.<\/p>\n
Shehbaz Sharif warned India not to misinterpret Pakistan\u2019s restraint as weakness.<\/p>\n
> \u201cWe exercised restraint not out of fear, but discipline. Our red lines\u2014especially over Kashmir and the Indus Waters Treaty\u2014must not be crossed. If you try to stop our water, remember: water and blood cannot flow together.\u201d<\/p>\n
He accused Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of destabilizing the region through \u201cHindutva-driven politics and false flag operations,\u201d including the Samjhauta Express incident and alleged interference in Balochistan. \u201cModi\u2019s regime lit the spark in East Pakistan; the world knows who trained Mukti Bahini,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In his impassioned address, PM Sharif commended the professionalism and valor of the PAF, saying their performance would be \u201cremembered in golden words.\u201d<\/p>\n
> \u201cThe way our air force brought down enemy Rafales will remain etched in history. The JF-17 Thunder\u2019s triumph revived the memories of M.M. Alam, Cecil Chaudhry, and Sarfraz Rafiqui,\u201d he said, referencing legendary PAF heroes.<\/p>\n
He hailed the vision of Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Babar Sidhu in modernizing the force and integrating advanced technologies. \u201cThis victory is not just about the skies\u2014it is about national pride, technological self-reliance, and unmatched professionalism,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cReady for Peace \u2014 And for War\u201d<\/p>\n
Reaffirming Pakistan\u2019s readiness for peace, Shehbaz Sharif emphasized it must be reciprocal and principled.<\/p>\n
> \u201cWe are ready for peace\u2014and ready for war. The choice is yours. Dialogue cannot be one-sided, and Kashmir is not off the table.\u201d<\/p>\n
He thanked the armed forces for their coordination and sacrifices, noting that the people of Pakistan stood united and proud. \u201cThe sons of the soil fought gallantly and did not cede a single inch of territory. We will honor their courage for generations,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Tribute to Armed Forces at Pasrur Cantonment<\/p>\n
A day earlier, the prime minister visited Pasrur Cantonment in Sialkot, where he met with troops who took part in Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, part of the larger Marka-e-Haq (Battle of Truth). He praised the mission as a \u201ctale of courage and valour\u201d that would feature prominently in his memoirs.<\/p>\n
> \u201cNot only did our troops repel the enemy in an unfavorable situation, they also disproved India\u2019s claims of military superiority,\u201d he said. \u201cOur response was proportionate, timely, and devastatingly effective.\u201d<\/p>\n
He concluded with a message to the Indian leadership:<\/p>\n
> \u201cStop misleading your people. Come to the table with sincerity\u2014or face the consequences of arrogance. Pakistan\u2019s sovereignty is not negotiable. Our flag will continue to fly high, until the Day of Judgment.\u201d<\/p>\n
The prime minister\u2019s visit served both as a morale booster for the armed forces and a strategic statement to the international community that Pakistan remains resolute, sovereign, and ever vigilant.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
KAMRA \/ PASRUR, Thursday, May 15, 2025 : Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday reiterated Pakistan\u2019s willingness to hold peace talks with India, but stressed that any dialogue must center on the Kashmir dispute and the right to self-determination for the Kashmiri people, in line with UN Security Council resolutions. Speaking during a visit […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4893,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[44,43],"class_list":["post-4891","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-national","tag-latest","tag-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4891","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4891"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4891\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4893"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4891"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4891"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thediplomat.com.pk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4891"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}