Shehbaz Sharif calls ceasefire deal with India a ‘victory’ for Pakistan

In a dramatic address laced with hyperbole and nationalist fervour, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday declared the ceasefire understanding with India a “historic victory” for his nation, praising his military’s “professional and effective” response to what he described as Indian aggression. He also accused India of using the April 22 Pahlagam attack as an “excuse” to launch an attack on the nation.

The speech, heavy on symbolism and national pride, came just hours after India and Pakistan agreed to halt all military action across land, air, and sea following days of intense cross-border tensions.

“Our operation was against hatred, aggression and religious fanaticism. This is a victory of our principles and respect. We did that with an enemy that suits an honourable nation. This is a victory not just for the armed forces, but for the whole nation,” he said.

Sharif’s televised remarks portrayed the ceasefire not as a diplomatic understanding initiated by Islamabad, but as the result of Pakistan’s supposed military prowess. “We decided to respond to the enemy in a language that it understands very well,” he proclaimed, hailing the deal as proof that Pakistan is a “self-respecting and upright nation”.

He credited the country’s armed forces for allegedly silencing Indian military assets, reducing airbases and ammunition depots to rubble – claims that Indian officials have firmly dismissed as fabrications.

However, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said it was Pakistan’s own Director General of Military Operations who placed the call to New Delhi at 3.35 pm on Saturday, requesting a halt in hostilities. The ceasefire was mutually agreed upon and went into effect at 5 pm, with no concessions from India.

New Delhi has maintained that its actions were limited, precision-based counter-terror operations in response to unprovoked Pakistani aggression earlier in the week.

Despite Sharif’s triumphal rhetoric, the ceasefire barely held. Within hours of the agreement, Pakistan flipped the script once again, with explosions reported in Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district and drone activity observed along the Line of Control.

Artillery shelling was reported from the Akhnoor, Rajouri, and RS Pura sectors, prompting India to place its forces on high alert. Indian air defence systems were activated after multiple drone sightings in Rajouri and Srinagar, where four drones were downed near an Army headquarters, triggering blackouts and red alerts in some areas.

Throughout his 20-minute speech, Sharif appeared determined to flip the narrative – describing Pakistan as the victim of an “unjustified war” allegedly waged by India and using the Pahalgam incident as a pretext.

He accused Indian forces of targeting civilians, mosques, and infrastructure, claims that India has categorically rejected as misinformation. In reality, visuals from the ground showed operational Indian airbases and untouched infrastructure, contradicting Sharif’s assertions. Furthermore, the government also said that retaliation against Pakistan was carried out in a systematic way to ensure that no Pakistani civilians were harmed in the cross-fire.

Sharif thanked Donald Trump, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and leaders from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and the United Kingdom, crediting them with facilitating the ceasefire. Notably, he referred to China as Pakistan’s “most reliable and trustworthy friend” and urged the global community to help resolve long-standing disputes like the Indus Waters Treaty and the Kashmir issue.