Tarar & DG ISPR Brief Political Leaders on India Tensions; PTI Stays Away

ISLAMABAD: Amid escalating tensions with India, the Government of Pakistan conducted a high-level national security briefing for leaders of major political parties — with the notable exception of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which chose to abstain.

The session, held at Pakistan Television (PTV) headquarters, was led by Federal Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar and Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry. The briefing aimed to update political stakeholders on the country’s security posture, diplomatic efforts, and responses to recent Indian allegations following the Pahalgam incident.

While most major political parties were represented, PTI spokesperson Sheikh Waqas Akram confirmed that the party had received an invitation but decided not to participate.

Officials described the meeting as a critical demonstration of “national unity and cohesion” at a time of heightened regional risk.

DG ISPR Slams India’s “False Flag” Allegations

During the briefing and an earlier joint press conference with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, DG ISPR Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry dismissed Indian claims linking Pakistan to the Pahalgam attack. He called the rapid attribution of blame a clear indication of a false flag operation.

“The Pakistan Army has taken all necessary retaliatory measures and is fully prepared to defend the nation’s sovereignty,” he said. “If India chooses military confrontation, that’s their decision — but the consequences will be shaped by us.”

Ishaq Dar: “India Using Hostility to Distract from Failures”

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar echoed the military’s position, accusing India of stirring tensions to divert attention from internal governance failures and ongoing human rights abuses in Kashmir.

Read more: DG ISPR & Info Minister to brief political parties on national security tomorrow

“India is manufacturing conflict to distract from its domestic issues,” Dar said. “Instead of self-reflection, they point fingers at others.”

He reaffirmed Pakistan’s consistent stance against terrorism, citing Quranic teachings on the sanctity of human life, and highlighted the country’s suffering from terrorism, with over $150 billion in economic losses and tens of thousands of lives lost.

Dar also warned the international community that India’s confrontational approach threatens not just bilateral relations but the broader stability of the region.