Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited the headquarters of inter-service intelligence (ISI) on Tuesday, where he received a detailed briefing on the country’s safety posture in the middle of increased tensions with India.
Accompanied by the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ishaq Dar, the Minister of Defense Khawaja Asif, and the heads of the Armed Forces of Pakistan, the Prime Minister was informed of the dominant regional security environment.
“The briefing focused on preparing conventional threats in light of the increasingly assertive posture of India along the eastern border,” said a statement from the PM office (PMO).
The press release said that management has also been informed of the development of the threat matrix, including conventional military options, hybrid war and the use of proxies.
The delegation highlighted the importance of improved national vigilance, interinstitutions coordination and operational preparation to respond to any threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan.
During the visit, Prime Minister Shehbaz expressed his appreciation for the role of the ISI in national security and praised the professionalism of the armed forces, reaffirming the state’s commitment to defend the country against all forms of threats.
Tensions between Pakistan and India have reached new heights following a fatal attack on April 22 when 26 men were killed on a tourist site in Pahalgam, in Indian, illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (iiojk). India quickly blamed Pakistan for the attack, but no evidence was presented to support the complaint, which Islamabad vehemently denied.
In response to the attack, the security committee of the Cabinet of India approved several reprisal measures, including the closure of the Wagah-Attari land transport point, a travel notice urging Indian nationals to avoid Pakistan, an official notification of the suspension of the industrial water and the revocation of several categories of visas for Pakistani nationals.
On April 24, the National Security Committee of Pakistan (NSC) issued a severe warning, declaring that any attempt by India to block the flow of water in Pakistan would be considered an act of war. The NSC has also approved the closure of the Wagah border passage.
