Pakistan Will Not Stay Silent on Attacks, Will Retaliate: High Commissioner Dr. Faisal

Pakistan’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, Dr. Muhammad Faisal, has strongly asserted that Pakistan will not tolerate unprovoked attacks on its territory and will respond decisively. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Sky News, Dr. Faisal emphasized that peace is Pakistan’s top priority, but any aggression will meet a firm response. He made it clear that Pakistan cannot be intimidated by missile attacks or hostilities, and will retaliate whenever attacked.

Dr. Faisal criticized India for rejecting Pakistan’s offer of cooperation in investigating the recent Pahalgam attack and instead launching strikes inside Pakistan. He dismissed Indian accusations of Pakistan’s involvement in various terrorist incidents, stating that India must present evidence and cooperate through dialogue. He questioned how cooperation could be possible when India resorts to missile attacks.

The High Commissioner revealed that more than 30 Pakistani civilians were killed and over 50 injured in the recent Indian strikes. He called the situation extremely serious and noted that mass burials were held across the country, underscoring the scale of the tragedy. He reiterated that Pakistan had never intended for escalation and had offered to investigate the incident, but India refused to engage.

He stated that the final decision on Pakistan’s response rests with the National Security Committee, chaired by the Prime Minister, which recently convened. He highlighted that multiple investigations into past incidents remain unresolved due to India’s lack of cooperation.

Dr. Faisal accused India of unilaterally discarding international norms by revoking Article 370A and obstructing all diplomatic engagement. He pointed out that the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) has been inactive since 2016 because of India’s refusal to participate, leaving the region’s 1.7 billion people without a collective development platform.

He maintained that sustained dialogue is the only way forward. Ending talks after every terrorist incident, he said, would stall all progress. Referring to the Samjhota Express tragedy, he once again urged for an impartial international investigation and questioned India’s reluctance if it had nothing to hide.

On Pakistan’s counter-terrorism efforts, Dr. Faisal stressed that Pakistan remains a frontline victim of terrorism. He referenced a recent incident in Balochistan where a train was hijacked, with clear links pointing towards India. He reiterated that Pakistan seeks resolution, not the exchange of blame.