Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif claims ‘victory’ after ceasefire with India

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif | PTI

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif claimed "victory" after Islamabad and New Delhi agreed to a ceasefire on Saturday after days of military escalation.

 

In an address to the nation, Sharif said Pakistan’s armed forces had given a “professional and effective response” to the Indian side and reduced their military depots, ammo storage places and airbases to ruins.

 

India has already debunked the Pakistani claims, terming them as a “tissue of lies”. At a press briefing earlier in the day, Colonel Sophia Qureshi showed visuals indicating functional status at several Army bases, including Sirsa and Suratgarh.

 

Sharif alleged that India tried to challenge Pakistan’s territorial integrity and sovereignty and targeted innocent lives, mosques and civilian populations, a claim that was also vehemently refuted by New Delhi.

 

The Pakistan prime minister, in his address, thanked the military leadership and extended gratitude to Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir for his “brave leadership”.

 

He said Pakistan has given a positive response to a ceasefire in the interest of regional peace. “We fully believe that the path of peaceful negotiations in line with principles of justice will be adopted to solve the distribution of water resources and all issues, including Jammu and Kashmir,” he was quoted as saying by the Dawn newspaper.

 

Sharif thanked US President Donald Trump and countries like China, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and the United Kingdom for their role in securing the recent ceasefire with India.

 

“Our operation was against hatred, aggression and religious fanaticism,” he said.

 

In an earlier post on X, Sharif thanked Trump, US Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their “valuable contributions” for peace in South Asia.

 

“Pakistan believes this marks a new beginning in the resolution of issues that have plagued the region and prevented its journey toward peace, prosperity and stability,” he further said.

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