ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army and foreign office on Wednesday rejected Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi’s recent statement in which he referred to Pakistan as the “epicenter of terrorism,” dismissing his remarks as an attempt to deflect the world’s attention from alleged brutalities in disputed Kashmir by New Delhi.
In a statement on India’s Army Day on Monday, Gen. Dwivedi accused Pakistan of “orchestrating” infiltration attempts in India, describing Pakistan as the “epicenter of terrorism.” He said 60 percent of the “terrorists” India eliminated last year were of Pakistan origin.
Nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan have fought two out of three wars over the disputed Himalayan Kashmir valley. Both claim the territory in full but administer only parts of it. India accuses Pakistan of arming militants in the Kashmir territory under its control, allegations that Islamabad has denied. Pakistan, on the other hand, accuses India of repressing the rights of Kashmiris in India and denying them the right of self-determination.
“Insinuating Pakistan as the epicenter of terrorism by the Indian Army Chief, is not only contrary to facts, but also an exercise in futility to beat the dead horse of India’s default position — blaming Pakistan for indigenous reaction to state-sponsored brutality,” a statement from the army’s media wing said.
The Inter-Services Public Relations, the army’s media wing, said Dwivedi’s remarks were a case of “extreme duplicity” aimed to diverting the world’s attention from India’s “brutality” in the region of Kashmir under its control.
The army said that such repression has only strengthened the resolve of Kashmiris for their right of self-determination, which is enshrined in the UN Security Council Resolutions.
“Instead of trying to conjure up a non-existent terror infrastructure in Pakistan, it would be wise not to indulge in self-delusion, and appreciate the ground reality,” the army said. “Pakistan takes strong exception to such baseless and unfounded statements.”
In a separate statement earlier on Wednesday, the foreign office rejected Gen. Dwivedi’s “baseless accusations and unfounded assertions.”
“Pakistan also underscores that provocative statements of this nature are counterproductive to regional peace and stability,” the foreign office said.
Political tensions between the two countries have remained high since 2019 when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi withdrew Jammu and Kashmir’s special autonomy in 2019 and split the former state into two federal territories.
Pakistan described the move as unilateral and illegal, saying it was aimed at tightening India’s grip on the Muslim-majority region. Islamabad suspended trade with New Delhi and downgraded diplomatic ties with its neighbor following the decision.
Pakistan’s army, foreign office reject Indian army chief’s ‘epicenter of terrorism’ allegations
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Pakistan’s army, foreign office reject Indian army chief’s ‘epicenter of terrorism’ allegations
- India’s army chief this week accused Pakistan of being involved in infiltration attempts by “terrorists” in India
- Pakistan’s army says statement “contrary to facts,” attempt to divert attention from “brutality” in Indian-held Kashmir
IMF hails Pakistan privatization drive, calls PIA sale a ‘milestone’
- Fund backs sale of national airline as key step in divesting loss-making state firms
- IMF has long urged Islamabad to reduce fiscal burden posed by state-owned entities
KARACHI: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Saturday welcomed Pakistan’s privatization efforts, describing the sale of the country’s national airline to a private consortium last month as a milestone that could help advance the divestment of loss-making state-owned enterprises (SOEs).
The comments follow the government’s sale of a 75 percent stake in Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) to a consortium led by the Arif Habib Group for Rs 135 billion ($486 million) after several rounds of bidding in a competitive process, marking Islamabad’s second attempt to privatize the carrier after a failed effort a year earlier.
Between the two privatization attempts, PIA resumed flight operations to several international destinations after aviation authorities in the European Union and Britain lifted restrictions nearly five years after the airline was grounded following a deadly Airbus A320 crash in Karachi in 2020 that killed 97 people.
“We welcome the authorities’ privatization efforts and the completion of the PIA privatization process, which was a commitment under the EFF,” Mahir Binici, the IMF’s resident representative in Pakistan, said in response to an Arab News query, referring to the $7 billion Extended Fund Facility.
“This privatization represents a milestone within the authorities’ reform agenda, aimed at decreasing governmental involvement in commercial sectors and attracting investments to promote economic growth in Pakistan,” he added.
The IMF has long urged Islamabad to reduce the fiscal burden posed by loss-making state firms, which have weighed public finances for years and required repeated government bailouts. Beyond PIA, the government has signaled plans to restructure or sell stakes in additional SOEs as part of broader reforms under the IMF program.
Privatization also remains politically sensitive in Pakistan, with critics warning of job losses and concerns over national assets, while supporters argue private sector management could improve efficiency and service delivery in chronically underperforming entities.
Pakistan’s Cabinet Committee on State-Owned Enterprises said on Friday that SOEs recorded a net loss of Rs 122.9 billion ($442 million) in the 2024–25 fiscal year, compared with a net loss of Rs 30.6 billion ($110 million) in the previous year.
