Pakistan Accuses India of Undermining Regional Stability, Urges Continued Dialogue

Pakistan has blamed India’s “militarisation” and “provocative” statements for the regional instability in South Asia, claiming Islamabad sought dialogue, which “must never collapse” despite geopolitical rivalry.

At the Shangri-La Dialogue, hosted by Singapore, Pakistan Army’s 1 Corps Commander Lieutenant General Nauman Zakaria said the absence of a crisis management mechanism between the nuclear-armed neighbours continued to undermine regional stability.

“Even during periods of geopolitical rivalry, dialogue must never collapse,” Lt. Gen. Zakaria said, adding, “History repeatedly demonstrates that strategic stability is preserved not only through deterrence but through communication as well,” blaming adversarial rhetoric for the tensions between the two neighbours.

He said strategic stability in South Asia remained shaped by nuclear deterrence, conventional asymmetry, enduring political tensions, and unresolved territorial and ideological disputes between India and Pakistan.

Zakaria said Pakistan’s response to Indian attacks in May 2025 debunked the “notion of space for war in South Asia.” He added, “post-conflict dynamics have further constrained the prospects for conventional war.”

The Pakistani military officer said confidence-building measures, transparency mechanisms, and technical dialogues among states were essential to reduce misunderstanding and prevent arms races.

He called for the need to strengthen institutionalised crisis management mechanisms and strategic communication channels. “As in a world of compressed decision-making timelines, direct communication assumes enhanced relevance,” he added. 

India had launched Operation Sindoor in May 2026 against terror infrastructure and terrorists finding a haven inside Pakistan and the occupied territories to avenge the killing of 26 civilians killed by Islamabad-sponsored terrorists at Pahalgam in Jammu and Kashmir in April that year.

Pakistan retaliated with military strikes that were effectively countered by Indian defence forces. After a four-day military exchange, Islamabad called New Delhi over the military hotline to seek a halt in the hostilities, which was agreed to immediately.

Since then, tensions have remained high between the two neighbours, as India said it had only temporarily halted the military operations and that Operation Sindoor was continuing, and that its armed forces were ready at all times for round two.