Muzaffarabad: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday accused India of conducting terrorism across Pakistan through proxies, stating that New Delhi had resorted to covert aggression after what he described as a humiliating defeat in Marka-e-Haq, the period of conflict between April 22 and May 10 last year.
Addressing a special session of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity Day, the prime minister said that durable peace in South Asia could not be achieved unless India abandoned what he termed its “aggressive, expansionist designs and nefarious conspiracies.”
His remarks came in the wake of a wave of deadly attacks in Balochistan, allegedly carried out by India-backed Fitna al-Hindustan elements, including the proscribed Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA). Terrorists targeted civilians in multiple districts, including Quetta, Mastung, Nushki, Dalbandin, Kharan, Panjgur, Tump, Gwadar, and Pasni on January 31.
The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said earlier on Thursday that security forces had successfully concluded Operation Raddul Fitna-1, eliminating at least 216 terrorists during coordinated intelligence-based operations and clearance missions across the province.
However, the operation also claimed heavy sacrifices, with 36 innocent civilians, including women and children, and 22 personnel of the security and law-enforcement agencies embracing martyrdom.
Expressing solidarity with the people of Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, Prime Minister Shehbaz said Pakistan stood firmly with its Kashmiri brothers and sisters and would continue to support their just struggle for self-determination.
“The sacrifices of Kashmiri martyrs will not go in vain,” he said, adding that history proved Kashmiris were willing to sacrifice everything except their freedom. “Every day, Kashmiris hold a mirror of truth before the world.”
Recalling the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the prime minister reiterated that Kashmir was the “jugular vein of Pakistan” and asserted that it had never been, and would never be, a part of India.
He also praised the leadership of Chief of Army Staff and Chief of Defence Forces Field Marshal Asim Munir, stating that Pakistan’s decisive success in Marka-e-Haq had shattered India’s arrogance and revived the Kashmir cause at the global level. He acknowledged Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar for effectively presenting Pakistan’s stance on international forums.
“Pakistan’s victory was also a victory for Kashmiris,” he said, adding that India had no option but to grant the Kashmiri people their internationally recognised right to self-determination.
While reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to peace, the prime minister warned that any aggression would be met with a firm and unforgettable response. He stressed that peace must be based on justice, equality, and mutual respect.
The prime minister also announced new development initiatives for AJK, including the establishment of Danish School campuses and a university in Muzaffarabad, aimed at improving education, healthcare, and infrastructure. He assured full federal support to the AJK government regardless of political differences.
Concluding his address, Prime Minister Shehbaz reaffirmed Pakistan’s principled stance on Kashmir and Palestine, saying that Islamabad had successfully countered India’s false narrative through diplomacy and had taken principled steps to support peace in Gaza.