'Reserve right to respond': Pak cites UN Charter

The Pakistan government on Wednesday reserved the right to respond "at a time, place and manner of its choosing" to India's military strikes on terrorist infrastructure in territories controlled by Islamabad in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack.

- Rezaul H Laskar

NEW DELHI:

Soon after Indian launched Operation Sindoor to target nine sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) early on Wednesday morning, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said Pakistan has "every right to give a befitting reply to this act of war". The Pakistani military's media arm said 26 people were killed and 46 injured at six locations.

After Sharif chaired a meeting of the National Security Committee, which was attended by the three service chiefs, an official statement said: "In consonance with Article 51 of the UN Charter, Pakistan reserves the right to respond, in self-defence, at a time, place, and manner of its choosing to avenge the loss of innocent Pakistani lives and blatant violation of its sovereignty."

The government has authorised Pakistan's armed forces to "undertake corresponding actions in this regard", the statement said without giving details.