Pak PM, President meet amid India tension, vow 'befitting' response

Pakistan's President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met on Thursday to discuss the security situation and vowed to respond to "any act of aggression in a befitting manner.

The two met for the first time as tensions rose between India and Pakistan after terrorists killed 26 people, mostly tourists, in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam on April 22.

According to an official statement, they said that Pakistan would never compromise on its territorial integrity and sovereignty and would respond to any act of aggression in a befitting manner.

Pakistani nation is united and stands behind its armed forces, who are capable of responding to any threat or aggression, the leaders said.

Separately, Sharif also had a telephonic conversation with the Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Radio Pakistan reported.

During the conversation, he reiterated his offer of cooperation for a "transparent" investigation into the terror attack.

A day after the attack, India announced a raft of punitive measures against Pakistan including suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, shutting down of the only operational land border crossing at Attari and downgrading of diplomatic ties in view of cross-border links to the massacre.

On Wednesday, India also closed its airspace for flights operated by Pakistani airlines.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's former foreign minister and Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari held a rally in the Sindh province where he accused India of using terrorism as a pretext to usurp water flowing into Pakistan.

Bhutto was referring to the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty of 1960 by India after the Pahalgam attack.

He repeated that if water meant for Pakistan is stopped, it would be considered an act of war, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi should know, "either water will flow in the river or blood.

Bhutto said that Sindh is home to the ancient Indus Valley Civilisation and in that sense, it belongs to the people of India and Pakistan who take pride in the old civilisation.

Indian people also love it and they know that their history is linked with Sindhuneither will we allow someone to suffocate Sindhu, nor will the Indian people allow any such attack, he said.