Water red line Shehbaz warns India against further escalation

Water red line is a matter of national security, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday, warning India that Pakistan would respond directly if New Delhi continued what Islamabad considers hostile actions.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Yadgar-e-Fatah monument in Islamabad on the eve of Independence Day, Shehbaz said Pakistan wanted peace and stability but would not mistake its preference for peace for weakness.

“India must come to the right path, otherwise it will be given a direct response,” the prime minister said.

He added that every drop of Pakistan’s water represented a “red line” for the country.

Shehbaz said the nation was celebrating Independence Day under the shadow of the Victory Monument and paid tribute to Pakistanis for what he described as the country’s success in Marka-e-Haq.

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He said the monument represented the strength of Pakistan’s armed forces and reflected the emotions of the nation.

The prime minister praised Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir and the armed forces for their role in the conflict, saying Pakistan had maintained its national dignity while India had suffered what he described as a humiliating defeat.

Shehbaz congratulated the field marshal and his team on the completion of the monument, whose distinctive design was completed in eight months.

He said Pakistan had emerged as a symbol of regional stability and pledged that the government would create new opportunities for the country’s young population.

The prime minister also called for international efforts to prevent new conflicts. He highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic role in facilitating dialogue between the United States and Iran.

Shehbaz said US President Donald Trump had helped broker a ceasefire between Pakistan and India and expressed hope that relations between Islamabad and Washington would continue to improve.

Referring to the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement, Shehbaz said Türkiye had also joined the arrangement, describing it as a development that could contribute to peace and stability in the Middle East.

He reaffirmed Pakistan’s support for Palestinian rights and said Islamabad’s position on Kashmir remained unchanged. He added that the sacrifices of Kashmiris would not go in vain.

The prime minister also urged the Afghan government to prevent its territory from being used for terrorist activities against Pakistan.

Shehbaz stressed national unity, saying no force could defeat a united nation. He urged Pakistanis to avoid turning political differences into hostility and warned adversaries against harbouring aggressive intentions towards the country.

President Asif Ali Zardari, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Asim Munir jointly inaugurated the Yadgar-e-Fatah monument in Islamabad.

The ceremony featured contingents from the armed forces, civil armed forces and police from Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Police contingents from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan also participated.

Service chiefs, federal ministers, foreign diplomats, the chairman of the Senate, speaker of the National Assembly and senior civilian and military officials attended the event. Governors of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Punjab chief minister also joined the ceremony.

The monument commemorates Pakistan’s victory during the May 2025 conflict with India. Islamabad says India initiated the confrontation after making allegations over an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, while Pakistan responded with military action.

The conflict lasted more than 80 hours before a ceasefire took effect on May 10 following US diplomatic intervention. Pakistan said it had shot down several Indian aircraft and drones during the fighting.