AS India continues to maintain an aggressive posture, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has reiterated the principled stance that any misadventure or attempts to undermine Pakistan’s sovereignty or violation of territorial integrity will continue to be reflexively met with a swift and resolute response without any constraints or inhibitions.
Addressing the graduating officers of the National Security and War Course at the National Defence University (NDU), he warned that any attempt to target our population centres, military bases, economic hubs and ports will instantly invoke a ‘deeply hurting and more than reciprocal response,’ adding the onus of escalation will squarely lie on the strategically blind arrogant aggressor who fails to see the grave repercussions of such provocative actions against a sovereign nuclear state.
The message is clear: Pakistan will not hesitate in giving a befitting response if and when an attempt is made to undermine security and sovereignty of the country. It was this clear headed thinking on the part of civilian and military leadership that shaped Pakistan response during the four-day war when the invader was forced to lick the dust. The defeat inflicted on the enemy was so visible and strong that India is now indulging in false propaganda to justify its weaknesses as highlighted during the conflict. The Chief of Army Staff has also rejected India’s claims of Pakistan getting Chinese assistance during the recent armed conflict, saying that naming other states as participants in the purely bilateral military conflagration is a shoddy attempt at playing camp politics. He made these comments in reference to claims made by the Deputy Chief of Indian Army, who said that Beijing gave Islamabad “live inputs” on key Indian positions during the deadly conflict between two nuclear-armed neighbours in May. The COAS described insinuations regarding external support in Pakistan’s successful Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos as irresponsible and factually incorrect, adding these reflect a chronic reluctance to acknowledge indigenous capability and institutional resilience developed over decades of strategic prudence. In fact, India launched operation ‘Sindoor’ with the clear objective of dictating terms on Pakistan, establishing its regional hegemony and portraying India’s capability of so-called hot pursuit but professional and decisive response of Pakistan broke all such myths and made New Delhi a laughing stock in the comity of nations. However, as India is not willing to learn any lesson from its past mistakes and humiliation, analysts apprehend New Delhi could embark upon another adventure ahead of the country’s general elections to give a boost to electoral prospects of war-mongering Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Pakistan should, therefore, remain fully alert both on diplomatic and military fronts not only to foil designs of the enemy but teach it yet another lesson.
