Pakistan on Monday strongly criticised India for twisting Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir’s remarks from his recent visit to the United States.
In his second visit to the US in less than two months, COAS Munir met senior political and military leadership and also interacted with the Pakistani diaspora at an event in Florida.
Field Marshal Munir also attended a farewell event for General Michael Kurilla, the 15th commander of the United States Central Command.
Indian media reports, citing sources, quoted Field Marshal Munir as saying: “We are a nuclear nation. If we think we are going down, we’ll take half the world down with us”.
India and Pakistan both possess nuclear weapons and fought their deadliest battle in decades in May, sparked by an attack on tourists the previous month in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 tourists.
Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s foreign ministry, said: “Nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan’s stock-in-trade,” adding: “The international community can draw its own conclusions on the irresponsibility inherent in such remarks.”
He said it was also regrettable that the reported remarks should have been made while in a friendly third country.
Responding to the statement made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the FO spokesperson said: “Pakistan strongly rejects the immature remarks made by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs earlier today, which is yet another demonstration of their chronic tendency to distorting facts and twisting statements out of context.”
Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan said that the Indian narrative of an alleged “nuclear blackmail’ is a misleading and self-serving construct. Pakistan, he said, remains firmly opposed to the use or threat of use of force. “India’s sabre-rattling and war-mongering whenever confronted invite unfounded allegations bereft of rationality.”
The spokesperson said that Pakistan is a responsible nuclear weapon state with an elaborate command and control structure under full civilian control.
“It has always exercised discipline and restraint while dealing with the issues of such importance,” he said, adding: “Pakistan’s sustained and credible counterterrorism efforts are internationally acknowledged. Our security forces remain the bulwark against terrorism.”
The Indian MEA’s spurious insinuations are irresponsible and without a shred of evidence, he said, adding that Pakistan has also noted with concern a pointless reference to third countries, in a bid to exert pressure on Pakistan.
This not only reflects India’s lack of diplomatic confidence but also constitutes a futile attempt to unnecessarily involve other countries, the spokesperson added.
Contrary to India’s belligerent and jingoistic approach, he said, Pakistan shall continue to act as a responsible member of the comity of nations. “However, any act of Indian aggression or violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity will be met with an immediate and matching response. The onus of any ensuing escalation will rest squarely with the Indian leadership.”
