Will respond with full military might': Pakistan Army chief amid tensions with India
Amid the rising tensions between India and Pakistan following the Pahalgam terror attack, Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Asim Munir reportedly said that Pakistan will respond with 'full military might' if its sovereignty or territorial integrity is threatened.
His remarks come as tensions between New Delhi and Islamabad rose after Pakistan-backed terrorists opened fire on innocent tourists in Kashmir's Pahalgam, killing 26 people.
Speaking at the General Headquarters in Rawalpindi during an interaction with participants of the 15th National Workshop Balochistan, General Asim Munir said Pakistan seeks regional peace but will not hesitate to defend itself, GEO TV reported.
'Pakistan seeks peace in the region and beyond; however, if Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity are violated, Pakistan will respond with full force to preserve its national prestige and the well-being of its people," the publication quoted General Munir as saying.
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Earlier, Pakistan claimed it had 'credible intelligence' that India is preparing for military action in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.
Post the attack, India accused Islamabad of supporting 'cross-border terrorism' and imposed diplomatic measures, including downgrading diplomatic ties, suspending a key water-sharing treaty and closing the main land border crossing with Pakistan.
In his speech, the army chief also addressed internal security and development challenges in Balochistan, where Pakistan has long battled insurgency and foreign-backed terrorism, the publication reported.
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'Terrorist groups that perpetrate terror in the name of Baloch identity to advance their petty insidious agenda are a blemish on Baloch honour and patriotism,' he added.
Gen Munir further said that the armed forces and law enforcement agencies will continue to fight the menace of terrorism with the complete support of the people of Pakistan.
Terrorists opened fire in a meadow near the tourist hub of Pahalgam in south Kashmir on Tuesday afternoon, killing 26 people, mostly tourists.
It is the worst attack in Kashmir since the Pulwama strike in 2019 when 40 CRPF personnel were killed.
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The government has given the armed forces complete operational freedom to decide on the mode, targets, and timing of India's response in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack.
The government also convened an all-party meeting after the terror attack, and Opposition parties have expressed their full support for any action taken by the government against the perpetrators of the heinous attack.
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