Pakistan Today

Bring it on! Pakistan snubs India’s threat

PakistanToday

ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: Responding to the Indian army chief’s ‘nuclear bluff’ assertion, Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor on Saturday said that such irresponsible statements from a person of a responsible stature are deplorable.

Speaking to a news channel, the Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said, “We believe COAS is a very responsible appointment, and four star is a rank with age-long experience and maturity.”

On the question of any Indian misadventure against Pakistan, the Pakistani military spokesman said, “Well, it’s their choice. Should they wish to test our resolve they may try and see it for themselves.”

The DG ISPR said that Pakistan has a credible nuclear capability, exclusively meant for threat from the east. “But we believe it’s a weapon of deterrence not a choice.”

He further said that if India could overpower Pakistan through conventional engagement post-overt nuclearisation, it could have done that by now.

“The only thing stopping them is our credible nuclear deterrence as there is no space of war between the two nuclear states,” he said.

“That’s why they are targeting us through sub-conventional threat and state-sponsored terrorism,” he said, adding, “But they have failed on this account as well.

“We are a professional army, responsible nuclear state and resilient nation,” the DG ISPR said.

“They must not remain in illusion,” he warned.

‘THERE MUST NOT BE ANY MISADVENTURE’:

Getting in on the act, the Foreign Office also responded to the Indian army chief’s statement in strong terms, saying Gen Rawat’s “threatening” remark is “representative of a sinister mindset that has taken hold of India”.

“These are not issues to be taken lightly. There must not be any misadventure based on [a] miscalculation,” FO spokesman Dr Mohammad Faisal said in a statement.

“Pakistan is fully capable of defending itself,” he said.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said that India may test Pakistan’s resolve if that is what it wishes to do.

“Very irresponsible statement by Indian Army Chief, not befitting his office. [This] amounts to an invitation for a nuclear encounter,” he tweeted. “If that is what they desire, they are welcome to test our resolve. The general’s doubt would swiftly be removed, inshallah.”

Earlier on Friday, India’s Army Chief General Bipin Rawat said the force was ready to call Pakistan’s “nuclear bluff” and cross the border to carry out any operation if asked by the New Delhi government.

“We will call the [nuclear] bluff of Pakistan. If we will have to really confront the Pakistanis, and a task is given to us, we are not going to say we cannot cross the border because they have nuclear weapons. We will have to call their nuclear bluff,” he added.

He was responding to a question during a press conference on the possibility of Pakistan using its nuclear weapons in case the situation along the border deteriorates.

To another question, he said India and the US were deliberating on a proposal to appoint military liaison officers at each other’s combatant commands.

“We are examining various dimensions of the proposal,” he said.

Moreover, he said a hotline will be set up between the Indian and Chinese armies very soon.

“It is moving very fast. Very soon we will have a hotline with the Chinese side,” he said.

He said both India and China were very keen on having a hotline between the Indian Army’s Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) and the Chinese officer holding similar position.

The Indian Army chief said a hotline will help resolve incidents such as transgressions along the border promptly. “We are very keen to start the hotline. The Chinese are also very clear,” he said.

It is crucial to note that, currently, India and Pakistan have a hotline between their DGMOs.

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