TLDR:
• NSC meets as India escalates
• Pakistan rejects politicised accusations
• Treaty suspension viewed as provocation
ISLAMABAD (The Thursday Times) — Pakistan’s top leadership is holding an emergency National Security Committee (NSC) session in Islamabad, as the government counters what it sees as a politically motivated escalation from India following the Pahalgam attack, which New Delhi has blamed on Pakistan without presenting any credible evidence.
India’s sweeping retaliatory actions—including the suspension of a decades-old water treaty, the closure of the land border, and the expulsion of Pakistani defence officials—have been met with firm rejection in Islamabad, where officials accuse New Delhi of using the tragedy to score electoral points ahead of national polls.
Pakistan convenes key security forum amid accusations
The emergency NSC meeting, underway at the Prime Minister’s Office, is being chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. In attendance are Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, senior security officials, and intelligence chiefs.
Discussions have focused on Pakistan’s response strategy to what officials describe as “impulsive and reckless” moves by India. Islamabad has made it clear it does not accept responsibility for the attack and views the allegations as a distraction from India’s own internal failures in Kashmir.
Officials also believe that India’s narrative is designed to provoke international sympathy while simultaneously ratcheting up nationalist rhetoric at home—a pattern Islamabad has encountered before.
India’s treaty withdrawal stokes legal and moral concern
The NSC has labelled India’s unilateral suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty as a flagrant violation of international norms. Pakistani officials believe this step is not only hostile but potentially destabilising for the region. The treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, has survived armed conflicts and represents one of the last functioning frameworks of bilateral cooperation between the two nations.
By attempting to dismantle it now, India is, in Pakistan’s view, weaponising essential resources and engaging in environmental brinkmanship. Legal teams are currently exploring the possibility of taking the matter to the International Court of Justice or appealing to neutral arbiters.
Measured resolve defines Pakistan’s approach
Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, speaking prior to entering the NSC session, called India’s response “hasty, politically charged, and legally indefensible.” He reiterated Pakistan’s consistent opposition to terrorism and reminded observers that no credible evidence has been offered by India to support its accusations.
Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that India’s decision to target cooperative frameworks such as the Indus Waters Treaty reveals a broader strategy of coercion, not diplomacy. He noted that Pakistan, while committed to peace, would not tolerate actions that compromise its national interests or regional stability.
Pakistan eyes diplomatic and legal countermeasures
With the NSC still in session, Pakistan appears to be adopting a cautious but calculated approach. Backchannel discussions are reportedly ongoing with allies including China, Turkey, and Gulf states. Islamabad is also seeking to mobilise international opinion around the legal and ethical implications of India’s treaty withdrawal and diplomatic provocations.