Islamabad: The Pakistan Army on Saturday criticised the recent remarks made by the Indian military officers and political leaders, warning that a future conflict between the two countries might lead to a “cataclysmic devastation”.
In a statement, it also said that these “irresponsible statements” indicate a renewed attempt at “fabricating arbitrary pretexts for aggression” – a prospect which might “lead to serious consequences” for peace and stability in South Asia.
A day earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had said India can cross any border whenever necessary to protect citizens and safeguard India’s unity and integrity.
Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi on Friday issued a stern warning to Pakistan, saying the neighbouring country should stop sponsoring terrorism on its soil if it wants to retain its place on the world map.
General Dwivedi also said the restraint shown by New Delhi during Operation Sindoor would not be repeated in case of a future military conflict and urged Indian soldiers to remain poised for action.
Also, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh on Friday said that at least a dozen Pakistani military aircraft, including US-origin F-16 jets, were destroyed or damaged in Indian strikes during Operation Sindoor. In its statement, the Pakistan Army said that it noted with “grave concern” the “delusional, provocative and jingoistic statements” coming from the highest levels of the Indian security establishment.
“In the face of highly provocative statements of the Indian Defence Minister and its Army and Air Chiefs, we caution that a future conflict might lead to cataclysmic devastation. In case a fresh round of hostilities is triggered, Pakistan shall not hold back. We shall resolutely respond, without any qualms or restraint,” it said.
The statement said that Pakistan has established a “new normal of response”, which will be “swift, decisive and destructive”.
It added that the armed forces of Pakistan have the capability and resolve “to take the fight to every nook and corner of the enemy’s territory”.
The statement also responded to the threat of “erasing Pakistan from the map”, saying India “must know that if a situation comes, the erasure will be mutual”.
It also said that earlier this year, the Indian attack against Pakistan brought two nuclear powers to the brink of a major war. “…India now seems to be aching for the next round of confrontation,” it added. In response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in territories controlled by Pakistan.
The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10. On Thursday, Defence Minister Singh said any misadventure by Islamabad in the Sir Creek sector will invite a “decisive response” that could be strong enough to change both “history and geography”.
Sir Creek is a 96-km-long tidal estuary between Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch and Pakistan and is considered a disputed region due to varying interpretations of maritime boundary lines by both sides.
(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)
