ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army chief has accused India of continuing to “create instability in the region” and warned that any aggression from New Delhi would be met with a “crushing response,” Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing statements shared by Pakistani military officials.
The remarks come less than three months after Pakistan and India fought their deadliest confrontation in decades — a four-day armed conflict in May that saw air, drone, and missile strikes, as well as artillery and small arms fire along their shared border. The clash was triggered by an April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir in which gunmen killed 26 civilians. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for orchestrating the assault, an allegation Pakistan has denied.
“India is still attempting to create instability in the region,” General Asim Munir said on Friday at a dinner with members of the Pakistani diaspora in Florida, during his second visit to the US in less than two months, according to the Bloomberg report, which quoted unnamed military officials.
“Pakistan has made it clear that any Indian aggression will be met with a crushing response.”
Pakistan’s military released details of Munir’s US speech after Indian news website ThePrint reported contentious excerpts, claiming the general had said Pakistan would target any dam India builds on the Indus River with multiple missiles and warned of the risk of nuclear conflict. ThePrint cited unidentified participants at the event and said guests were barred from carrying phones or recording devices.
In response, India’s Ministry of External Affairs on Monday accused Pakistan of a history of “nuclear sabre-rattling” and questioned the credibility of its nuclear command and control. The ministry also said the comments had been made from a “friendly third country” and insisted India would not succumb to “nuclear blackmail.”
Relations between the two neighbors — who have fought three wars and numerous skirmishes since partition in 1947 — remain tense. Pakistan has in recent months moved closer to President Donald Trump, while India’s relations with Washington have cooled, Bloomberg said.
Munir praised Trump for helping end the May hostilities, saying: “Pakistan is deeply thankful to President Trump, whose strategic leadership not only averted a war between India and Pakistan but also helped stop many ongoing global conflicts.”
Indian officials have denied the US leader played any such role.
Over the weekend, India’s air force chief said its military had shot down at least five Pakistani fighter jets during the May confrontation, offering new details on the scale of the damage. Pakistan denied any of its aircraft had been hit and says it had downed at least five Indian planes.
