India-Pakistan conflict: Pakistan holds emergency meeting of the National Security Committee

Dubai:  Pakistan’s top civil and military leadership, under Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif, convened an emergency meeting of the National Security Committee (NSC) on Wednesday to respond to what it called “unprovoked” Indian air, missile, and drone strikes across several regions, including Punjab and Pakistan administered Kashmir.

The NSC condemned the attacks as a blatant act of war and authorised the armed forces to respond in self-defence.

According to Pakistan’s official statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the Indian strikes occurred during the night of May 6 and 7, targeting civilian areas in Sialkot, Shakargarh, Muridke, Bahawalpur, Kotli, and Muzaffarabad. The attacks allegedly destroyed infrastructure including mosques and posed risks to commercial airliners.

The NSC strongly rejected India's justification for the attacks, which were carried out on the premise of targeting so-called terrorist camps, an allegation Pakistan has repeatedly denied. The government noted that international journalists had already been taken to inspect the claimed sites and more visits were scheduled.

Regional stability

The NSC’s communique accused India of acting to “satiate delusional political objectives” without presenting credible evidence and warned that such aggression endangered regional stability.

The Armed Forces of Pakistan reportedly shot down five Indian fighter jets and unmanned aerial vehicles.

Right to self-defence

Citing Article 51 of the UN Charter, the NSC reaffirmed Pakistan’s right to self-defence and announced that the military has been fully authorised to undertake retaliatory measures “at a time, place, and manner of its choosing.”

The NSC called on the international community to take note of India's “illegal actions” and hold it accountable for violating international norms and laws.

The government reiterated its commitment to peace, emphasising that Pakistan will not tolerate further provocations or violations of its sovereignty.