ISLAMABAD: Civil and military leadership on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s unambiguous resolve to defend the homeland against all threats — conventional or otherwise -- and reiterated that with nation’s support, the armed forces remain fully prepared to defend country’s security, prestige and honour under all circumstances.
The pledge was made during Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s visit to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) headquarters here. He was accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister/ Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Chief of Army Staff General Syed Asim Munir, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Naveed Ashraf and Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmad Baber Sidhu.
“With nation’s full support, the armed forces, supported by all other elements of national power and state institutions, remain fully prepared to uphold Pakistan’s security, prestige and honour under all circumstances,” an official statement issued after the meeting said.
ISI Director General and National Security Adviser Lt General Asim Malik and Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt General Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry were also present.
The visit entailed a detailed briefing on the prevailing security environment, with a particular focus on preparedness for conventional threat in the light of India’s increasingly aggressive and provocative posture along Pakistan’s eastern border.
The leadership was apprised of regional security developments and the evolving threat matrix, including conventional military options, hybrid warfare tactics, and terrorist proxies.
The prime minister and accompanying dignitaries underscored the imperative of heightened national vigilance, seamless inter-agency coordination, and reinforced operational readiness to deter and decisively respond to any violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Commending the ISI’s professionalism and strategic acumen, the prime minister lauded its critical role in safeguarding national interests and enabling informed national security decision-making under complex and dynamic conditions.
He said that entire nation is behind Pakistan’s brave armed forces. “Pakistan Army is one of the most professional and disciplined forces in the world,” the prime minister said.
The civil and military leadership reaffirmed Pakistan’s unambiguous resolve to defend the homeland against all threats—conventional or otherwise and reiterated that with nation’s full support, the armed forces, supported by all other elements of national power and state institutions, remain fully prepared to uphold Pakistan’s security, prestige and honour under all circumstances.
Separately, the prime minister accompanied by the deputy prime minister, defence minister and services chiefs visited the newly established National Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Centre (NIFTAC). The prime minister formally inaugurated the state-of-the-art NIFTAC Headquarters, which will serve as the central node for coordinating Pakistan’s national counterterrorism strategy.
NIFTAC, a federal institution, integrates over 50 relevant federal and provincial departments and agencies into a unified intelligence and threat management architecture supported by a centralised national database. At the sub-national level, NIFTAC is linked to six Provincial Intelligence Fusion and Threat Assessment Centres (PIFTACs), including those in Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan—ensuring seamless coordination from federation to provinces.
This integrated framework is designed to harmonise intelligence gathering, analysis and operational responses across multiple domains. By leveraging the full spectrum of institutional capabilities, NIFTAC will enhance national preparedness, optimise resource utilisation, and enable a coherent and timely counterterrorism response. Commending the efforts of all stakeholders involved in operationalising this vital capability, the prime minister described NIFTAC as a quintessential national platform for collaborative threat assessment and response, an official statement said.
He underscored that dismantling the nexus between terrorism, illicit networks and external sponsorship requires robust and efficient institutional mechanisms. NIFTAC, he noted, will play a pivotal role in uprooting terrorism and its support structures from the country.
Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar held a telephonic conversation with acting Foreign Minister of Afghanistan Amir Khan Muttaqi.
Both leaders expressed satisfaction with the pace of progress made by the two sides in bilateral relations since the DPM’s visit to Afghanistan on April 19, 2025, with a focus on trade, connectivity, economic cooperation, people-to-people contacts, and reactivating political consultative mechanisms, according to a Foreign Office press release.
The two sides also agreed on the importance of maintaining high-level contacts for fostering long-term cooperation to promote peace and security in the region and beyond.
The deputy prime minister also briefed the acting Afghan foreign minister on recent provocation and illegal and unilateral measures by India against Pakistan, reiterating Pakistan’s commitment to peace and safeguarding its sovereignty. Acting FM Muttaqi appreciated Pakistan’s proactive steps to ease trade and facilitate travel and extended an invitation to the DPM Dar to visit Afghanistan again.
Separately, Ishaq Dar held a telephonic conversation with Foreign Minister of Algeria Ahmed Attaf. The DPM apprised him of the evolving regional situation and heightened tensions arising from India’s inflammatory rhetoric, a DPM’s Office news release said.
Algerian Foreign Minister Attaf emphasized the importance of restraint and the need for de-escalation by both sides. He reaffirmed Algeria’s commitment to coordinate and cooperate with Pakistan within the framework of UN Security Council. The two leaders also agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation across multiple sectors, including economy, trade and defence.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said that a clash with India has become inevitable and could happen at any time.
Talking to Geo News programme ‘Aaj Shahzeb Khanzada Kay Sath’, the security czar said that a clash can happen at any time, and we are prepared to deal with any situation—whether it’s a surgical strike, an air attack or an attack from the seas.
“We are ready on all fronts. The crux of today’s [Tuesday’s] briefing was that any kind of attack can be expected from them. Covert, small-scale operation can be conducted, but not large-scale one, as it is immediately detected. Civil defence drills are being conducted in India, but there is no such environment here. We trust in Allah, so there is no panic here. We have full confidence in our armed forces. They had sent Rafale jets under a planning but the radars of these star jets were jammed. They think they can capture some territory here — we will not let that happen. They cannot set foot on our territory,” he said.
“This time, we won’t serve them tea — we’ll thrash them with shoes instead. If India tries to block our water, it will drown in that very water. If any construction is made to store water, we will destroy it, and we will be justified in carrying out such an attack.”
Meanwhile, seven soldiers were martyred as terrorists belonging to an Indian proxy, so-called ‘Baloch Liberation Army’, targeted a security forces vehicle with an improvised explosive device (IED) in general area Mach, Kachhi District.
Shuhada include Subedar Umar Farooq, 42, resident of Karachi, Naik Asif Khan, 28, r/o District Karak), Naik Mashkoor Ali, 28, r/o District Orakzai, Sepoy Tariq Nawaz, 26, r/o District Lakki Marwat, Sepoy Wajid Ahmed Faiz, 28, r/o District Bagh, Sepoy Muhammad Asim, 22, r/o District Karak, and Sepoy Muhammad Kashif Khan, 28, r/o District Kohat.
Sensitization of the area is being carried out to eliminate any terrorist present in the area; the perpetrators of this henious and cowardly act will be brought to justice, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) in a statement said.
The security forces of Pakistan, in step with the nation, remain determined to thwart attempts at sabotaging peace, stability and progress of Balochistan, and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve, the statement said. Nefarious designs of India and its proxies operating on Pakistani soil will be defeated by the valiant security forces, LEAs and the brave nation of Pakistan, InshaAllah, the ISPR said.
Meanwhile, India will conduct mock civil defence drills today (Wednesday), government officials said, as fears rise of a regional conflict. “The Ministry of Home Affairs has asked several states to conduct mock drills for effective civil defence,” Kanchan Gupta, a senior adviser from the Indian information ministry, said in a statement.
Gupta said this would involve rehearsing an “evacuation plan” and the “training of civilians, students, etc, on the civil defence aspects to protect themselves in the event of a hostile attack”. Drills will also test air raid warning sirens, prepare for blackouts, and ready vital installations for camouflage.
