Pakistan Has the Right to Defend Its Sovereignty in Response to Indian Missile Strikes — PM Shehbaz in Call with Secretary Rubio

Pakistan Has the Right to Defend Its Sovereignty in Response to Indian Missile Strikes — PM Shehbaz in Call with Secretary Rubio

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif received a telephone call from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday. During the conversation, Prime Minister Shehbaz strongly condemned India’s missile and drone strikes, which he said had killed 31 Pakistani civilians and injured 57 others. He firmly stated, “Under Article 51 of the United Nations Charter, Pakistan reserves the right to self-defense.”

According to a press release from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Prime Minister Shehbaz told Secretary Rubio that the Indian attacks constituted a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and posed a serious threat to peace and stability in the South Asian region.

The statement further emphasized the Prime Minister’s condemnation of India’s recent military actions and reaffirmed Pakistan’s firm commitment to defending its sovereignty.

“The Prime Minister reiterated Pakistan’s unwavering resolve to protect its sovereignty and territorial integrity at all costs,” the statement read.

He also conveyed the public outrage in Pakistan over what he described as India’s “unprovoked, war-like actions.”

The press release noted that Prime Minister Shehbaz thanked former U.S. President Donald Trump for expressing concern over the deteriorating security situation in South Asia.

During the call, Secretary Rubio stated that Washington is closely monitoring the ongoing crisis and emphasized the importance of working closely to de-escalate tensions between Pakistan and India.

The diplomatic exchange concluded with both sides agreeing to maintain regular communication.

“Both sides agreed to stay in touch,” the official statement confirmed.