Islamabad:
In the wake of the Pahagam attack, which has scratched regional tensions, Pakistan’s political leadership has called for a clear and united front, and calls for parties over the spectrum to bury the hatchet and close ranks at a moment when efforts could not be higher.
Following New Delhi’s sudden decision to rip key water, trade and visa treaties, the leading political voices in the Pakistan rejected the move as a knee-raging reaction and urged the government to rise across the partisan divide and created a robust, unified national reaction-a rally cries for the country to speak with a voice.
While condemning the loss of life in the attack, senior politicians criticized India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty and called it a violation of international law. They called on the government to withdraw the case before the international court.
Former Senator Mushahid Hussain said India has exhausted all his available options, adding that he excludes any military option “because they have learned a lesson from the past, from Pulwama 2019” – When their Gamble Backfired, Pakistan hit hard, set up two planes, caught their pilot and Indian prime minister Narendra Modi Modi was forced to blink.
On India’s actions in the Indus Waters Treaty, the veteran politician said it was a “serious violation of international law and means committing water aggression against Pakistan”.
Sayed noted that the other steps were meaningless, but the Indus Waters Treaty was a “core national interest in Pakistan, and the Indian act is politically motivated, illegal and completely unacceptable”.
On the internal dispute over water and PPP’s threats of overthrowing the reigning PML-n federal government, Sayed said the government should immediately convene a meeting of the Council for Common Interest (CCI) to create a consensus and refrain from making any one-sided decisions.
Meanwhile, PPP’s senator Sherry Rehman said that India’s staggering escalation of hostilities within minutes of an act we all condemned was both unjustified and disproportionate.
PPP’s Vice President said it also leads to further questions about the motives and stories created around this entire Pahagam tragedy.
“To suspend the Indus Waters Treaty,” said Sherry, “after it has survived full-blown wars, is neither legal nor smart.”
She added that it signalizes a reinvestment in rust, in iron curtains and the intentional decay of diplomacy, in a conflict that no one will win.
For a unified national reaction, the former senator and prominent political voice, Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar, said that one can only hope that “the government will engage in the opposition in a meaningful way (including Imran Khan), because the nature of the crisis requires”.
Khokhar added that the opposition would be willing to play his national role in knowing that the government is allegedly missing a mandate. “It’s a no-brainer that the government of the time must have some kind of legitimacy to begin with,” he said. “However, we are all aware of the truth behind the facade.”
Convener of Awam Pakistan Party, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, said a collective, national and overall reaction to the unprecedented Indian aggression.
He added that no one supports terrorism, but rushed to blame Pakistan was not an appropriate response from the neighboring country.
In the water question, Abbasi said Pakistan should take India to ICJ and said Pakistan should answer India on the same coin. To the questions of internal struggle, Abbasi said the situation requires “we should put the house in order” and said it also provides an opportunity to give a collective answer.
However, he said it was up to the government how it engages the opposition and moves on.
Similarly, the Federal Minister of Information and TV spread, Attaullah Tarar said that two enclosures – Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and Defense Minister Khawaja Asif – also condemned New Delhi’s one -sided features.
Dar claimed the actions “junk” and “inappropriate,” and claimed that a firm and coordinated answer will follow.
DAR confirmed that a National Security Committee (NSC) meeting has been called for Thursday (today) to formulate Pakistan’s official response. “India’s statements are inappropriate and NSC emits an extensive answer,” he noted.
Asif also said Pakistan would give his answer after the NSC meeting on Thursday. Late Wednesday night, the government’s spokesman Attaullah Tarar smeared that he would share his answer on Thursday.
PTI Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Acram did not respond to the more calls and text messages seeking the party’s answers.
