PM constitutes high-level committee to assess Pak-India war damages in Punjab, Kashmir

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has constituted a 15-member high-level committee to assess the loss of life and property in Punjab and Kashmir during the recent Pakistan-India conflict, reported 24NewsHD TV channel Thursday.

The committee, formed on the instructions of the Interior Minister, has been tasked with a broad and urgent mandate and is headed by the Federal Interior Secretary.

According to officials, the committee held its first meeting this week, during which the Home Secretary issued key directives. The committee has decided to immediately reach the affected areas, collect evidence, and begin compiling a comprehensive damage assessment. It will evaluate the destruction caused to infrastructure such as dams, power stations, schools, places of worship, and other public and private properties. Additionally, it will estimate the economic value of these damages.

A major focus of the committee's work will be identifying and documenting violations of international law by Indian forces, particularly breaches of the Geneva Convention.

The committee will also prepare detailed reports on the targeting of civilian populations by the Indian army and will develop a forensic report based on all available evidence. It aims to compile a complete database of civilian casualties, including those injured or martyred, with a view to ensuring appropriate compensation for victims and their families.

The second meeting of the committee has been scheduled to take place after Eid, and the final report is expected to be submitted to the Prime Minister within 30 days.

The committee includes representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Home Department of Punjab, DIG Punjab, the Director General of the Federal Investigation Force (FIF), the Relief Commissioner of Punjab, and members from various sensitive agencies.