Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC) has issued a forceful condemnation of India’s deadly military strikes, describing them as “illegal acts” and “blatant violations” of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, which the government says amount to acts of war under international law.
In a formal statement, the NSC declared:
“The deliberate targeting of civilians, including innocent women and children, by the Indian military constitutes a heinous and shameful crime, violating all norms of human decency and the provisions of international law.”
The high-level security meeting was chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by top military and civilian leaders, including Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza, ISI Director General Gen. Asim Malik, and the chiefs of Pakistan’s armed services, according to official footage.
Senior members of the cabinet were also present, including Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, Climate Change Minister Musadik Malik, as well as the prime minister’s political adviser Rana Sanaullah, Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan, and special aide Tareq Fatemi.
Pakistan’s National Security Committee (NSC) has issued a firm condemnation of India’s recent military strikes, denouncing them as “unprovoked, cowardly, and unlawful acts of war” that violate Pakistan’s sovereignty and international law. The NSC, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by top military and civilian leaders—including Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza, ISI Director General Gen. Asim Malik, and the service chiefs—called the attacks blatant violations of Pakistan’s territorial integrity.
The Indian armed forces launched coordinated missile, air, and drone strikes overnight on May 6–7, targeting multiple locations across Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir, including Sialkot, Shakargarh, Muridke, Bahawalpur, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad. These attacks, Pakistan stated, were carried out under the false pretext of striking imaginary terrorist camps and resulted in the deaths of innocent civilians—men, women, and children—as well as damage to civilian infrastructure such as mosques and the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project.
Pakistan’s military confirmed that 26 civilians were killed and 46 injured in the strikes. Notably, 13 fatalities occurred in Bahawalpur’s Ahmedpur East area, including two three-year-old girls. In Kotli, the targeting of Abbas Mosque led to the deaths of two teenagers, while a strike on Bilal Mosque near Muzaffarabad claimed three more lives. Additionally, five civilians, including a five-year-old child, were killed due to Indian army firing along the Line of Control.
The attacks also endangered regional civil aviation, with 57 international flights, including those from Gulf countries, passing through Pakistani airspace at the time. Pakistani officials strongly condemned India’s decision to target critical water infrastructure, calling the strike on the Nauseri Dam part of the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project a “dangerous escalation” that raises serious concerns under international humanitarian law.
In response, the NSC has authorised Pakistan’s armed forces to act under Article 51 of the UN Charter, which affirms the right to self-defense, and to retaliate at a time, place, and manner of their choosing. The Pakistan Air Force reported shooting down five Indian fighter jets and one drone during defensive operations and affirmed the military’s readiness to respond to further provocations.
Pakistan rejected India’s claims about terrorist camps, pointing out that international media had already inspected the alleged sites. Islamabad also expressed regret that its offer for a credible, neutral investigation after an earlier attack on April 22 was not accepted by India.
The NSC has called on the international community to take urgent notice of what it termed India’s deliberate escalation, warning of the grave regional consequences if unchecked.
Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), stated, “Pakistan has the right to respond to any act of aggression in a manner and time of its choosing. Our armed forces remain fully committed to defending the nation’s sovereignty.”
