Pakistan and India have agreed to reach a ceasefire understanding.

However, the Foreign Office says, it is important to put the relevant developments in the right perspective. 

In response to the firing of Brahmos missiles over several locations across the international border, Pakistan was constrained to retaliate to the unprovoked and unlawful Indian aggression in exercise of its right to self-defence under Article 51 of the UN Charter. Accordingly, Pakistan launched "Operation Bunyan-ul-Marsoos" early today.

Without a shred of evidence, and disregarding Pakistan's offer for a neutral, transparent and credible investigation by international investigators, India launched multiple strikes during the nights of 7-10 May 2025 which caused loss of innocent lives including women, children and the elderly. These indiscriminate attacks seriously injured dozens, in addition to causing damage to infrastructure, including places of worship.

As if the dastardly aggression during the intervening night of 6th and 7th of this month, breach of Pakistan's sovereign airspace through firing of missiles and killer drones, and consequent human and material losses were already not grave enough, India further endangered the regional peace and stability by sending additional waves of killer drones in large numbers across the length and breadth of Pakistan, including the Federal Capital. These killer drones and loitering munitions and missiles struck multiple civilian and military assets, inflicting further human and material losses and caused a great sense of insecurity among the Pakistani people, leading to heightened public demand for an immediate response in self-defense. Multiple missiles were also fired, targeting our air bases.

Despite facing blatant Indian aggression and persistent provocations, Pakistan exercised great restraint. However, it was constrained to respond to ensure the safety and security of its people. Notwithstanding the incessant provocations, our response deliberately avoided civilian casualties and was precise, proportionate, minutely calibrated, and manifestly restrained. Only those entities and facilities were targeted which planned, coordinated, and executed blatant aggression against Pakistan and the cold-blooded killing of its innocent civilians. These targets also included those Indian airbases from where Pakistani airbases were subjected to unprovoked missile attacks. Irrefutable evidence in this regard has already been shared with the international community.

This dangerous conflagration between two nuclear-armed states calls for deeper introspection and a holistic appraisal by the international community. Far from being a matter of deep-rooted historic differences between the two neighboring states in the volatile region of South Asia, the conflict ought to be seen in the broader context of the competing geopolitical interests. The negative impact of this competition has been a constant variable of the regional security paradigm. Hence, any casus belli of the conflict, contrived or actual, cannot be lumped onto any country without due understanding of the genesis and root causes of the problems leading to frequent regional conflicts which the region and the world can ill afford.

Strategic instability in South Asia is a result of the unresolved Jammu and Kashmir dispute. This dispute has been aggravated by Indian suppression of the legitimate struggle of Kashmiris for the inalienable right to self-determination and falsely equating it with terrorism. The scourge of terrorism and extremism is not intrinsic to South Asia. However, the undesirable and abhorrent debris of Cold War dynamics transformed the socio-political landscape and shattered regional peace. How the journey of Pakistan and the South Asian region from a progressive, tolerant, and forward-looking society to the current state was induced remains a subject to be explored by all the partners of the Grand Enterprise who cannot now remain silent spectators.

Despite herculean challenges, Pakistan re-emerged from the ravages of the Cold War as a resilient state and society that became the bulwark against the spread of terrorism and extremist ideology, albeit at a monumental cost. Pakistan's sacrifices and contributions to the global fight against terrorism, especially post-9/11, are unparalleled. India, probably sensing an opportunity in Pakistan's overwhelming commitment to the fight against terrorism along the Western borders, has repeatedly attempted to exploit this perceived vulnerability by waging an intense hybrid campaign against Pakistan and orchestrating terrorism through proxies to destabilize it. India's military provocations post-9/11 ought to be seen in the same light. Through such insidious manoeuvres, despite being a victim of terrorism, Pakistan is continuously being subjected to a two-front situation so that it remains mired in internal problems and not able to focus on its development as well as the re-transformation of its society.

Surprisingly, India's bogey of Pakistan as the 'epicenter' of terrorism quickly resurfaces whenever Pakistan is close to decisively eliminating the menace of terrorism. This vicious cycle, going on for over two decades, must end now. Any distraction for Pakistan, at this critical juncture, from its monumental struggle against the scourge of terrorism and the creeping extremist ideology from its west would be to the great peril of regional peace and global stability. Pakistan urges the international community to restrain India from using the sham narrative of the so-called terrorism from Pakistan in order to secure sustainable peace. A forward-looking Pakistan needs support, not indifference from the international community.

 The Foreign Office said India must also realize that its attempts to externalize an internal issue, like the organic resistance to state-sanctioned persecution of minorities, and internalize an external issue such as Jammu and Kashmir Dispute, are dangerous and destabilizing. India must not use the phenomenon of terrorism as a vehicle to secure policy goals such as the abrogation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir's statehood and illegally holding the Indus Water Treaty in abeyance. Pakistan cannot be coerced by such antics. Pakistan is willing to engage in constructive diplomacy and comprehensive dialogue with India and seek resolution of all issues, including the Jammu and Kashmir Dispute, through peaceful means. The international community must also play its role in preventing further escalation.

The Foreign Office said all elements of national power remain committed to ensuring the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan. Pakistan's Armed Forces are obligated to take all measures for defending the motherland, its citizens, and in contributing to securing country's vital national interests. This obligation is a sacred trust of the proud, resilient, brave, and honourable people of Pakistan.

For the sake of regional peace and stability, Pakistan mounted a very responsible, proportionate, and mature response. It is aware of the disastrous consequences of further escalation between two nuclear states and it is absolutely inconceivable. Any propensity to tread this dangerous path is fraught with catastrophic consequences for the complete region and beyond. Hence, such an approach ought to be avoided.