ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday expressed his gratitude to Chinese Premier Li Qiang for backing Islamabad’s demand for a credible and transparent international investigation into the April 22 attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), which claimed 26 lives.
During a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Jiang Zaidong at the Prime Minister’s Office in Islamabad, Sharif also thanked China for its steadfast support amid rising regional tensions.
He extended warm regards to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li, and praised China’s understanding of Pakistan’s position on India’s recent actions.
In remarks made earlier on Saturday, the Prime Minister labeled the Pahalgam attack as yet another instance of the “blame game” and reaffirmed Pakistan’s willingness to cooperate with any neutral and transparent investigation into the incident.
According to a statement from his office, Sharif strongly condemned terrorism in all its forms, stressing that Pakistan—having lost over 90,000 lives and more than $152 billion in the global fight against terrorism—remains committed to regional and global peace.
He warned that India’s recent confrontational rhetoric could undermine Pakistan’s counterterrorism operations targeting militant groups such as IS-KP, TTP, and BLA, many of which operate from across the Afghan border.
Sharif also criticized what he called India’s “water aggression,” accusing New Delhi of attempting to weaponize water resources in violation of the Indus Waters Treaty. “No country has the right to unilaterally abandon international agreements,” he said, calling such moves a breach of trust and a threat to regional stability.
Underscoring the need for a peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute, Sharif stressed that lasting peace in South Asia is unattainable without addressing the Kashmir issue.
Ambassador Jiang reaffirmed China’s commitment to regional peace and reiterated Beijing’s support for Pakistan on all core issues, adding that China shares Pakistan’s vision for a stable and cooperative South Asia.
