Islamabad, MINA – Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif firmly told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio that Pakistan will defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity “at all costs,” following a series of missile and drone attacks from India that escalated regional tensions, Anadolu Agency reported.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Sharif condemned India’s recent strikes that reportedly killed 31 civilians, injured 57 others, and damaged civilian infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
“These attacks are a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and pose a serious threat to peace and stability in South Asia,” said Sharif during the second call from Rubio since the April 22 attack in Indian-administered Pahalgam that killed 26 people.
Sharif also expressed appreciation for U.S. President Donald Trump’s concern over the crisis, while reaffirming Islamabad’s right to self-defense in line with the UN Charter. He emphasized that the Pakistani people were “outraged by India’s unprovoked acts of war.”
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The situation intensified after India launched “Operation Sindoor,” striking what it claimed were terrorist infrastructure targets inside Pakistan. In response, Pakistan said it had downed five Indian fighter jets and vowed retaliation.
The two nuclear-armed neighbors also reported overnight exchanges involving drones and missiles. Islamabad stated that the drones, believed to be Israeli-made Harop models, were intercepted over major cities, resulting in three civilian deaths and injuries to four military personnel. India claimed at least 16 of its citizens were killed in the border conflict.
Rubio reiterated Washington’s call for both sides to work together to de-escalate the situation, stressing the U.S. commitment to regional peace. []
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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