ISLAMABAD – Terming Indian Army Chief’s a recent provocative statement as“irresponsible”, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations(ISPR). Major Gen Asif Ghafoor Saturday said Pakistan’s desire for peaceshould not be perceived as its weakness.
“We are always ready and prepared for war. War happens when you are notprepared for it,” Major General Asif Ghafoor said while talking to aprivate TV Channel.He said Pakistan being an Atomic Power was ready to give a befittingresponse to any misadventure.
He said Pakistan and it armed forces had successfully fought againstterrorism adding that the country had restored peace after two decades ofstruggle.
He said Pakistan knew the cost of peace hence wanted to have peace. Vowingnot to let anyone derail peaceful environment in the region, he said: “Weare a country which wants to moves towards peace but not from the positionof weakness but from the position of strength.”“We are a nuclear nation. We are ready for war but we want to move ahead onthe path of peace in the interest of people of Pakistan, the neighbours andthe region,” he said adding that peace was necessary for the development ofPakistan, India and the region.
Responding to Indian Army Chief, General Bipin Rawat’s reckless remarks ofteaching Pakistan a lesson, the DG ISPR said that anti-Pakistan narrativewas an attempt to divert the attention of Indian people from the recentlysurfaced graft allegations against the government of that country.
“Indian government is facing corruption scandals at home. Indian army wantsto divert attention from their domestic problems,” he added.
He warned Indian civilian and military’s top brass against putting burdenof their domestic issues on ‘Pakistan’s shoulders’. He urged Indian ArmyChief to abstain from sabotaging peace situation. He said that India hadearlier staged drama of surgical strikes but it failed miserably inpresenting the evidence of that in their own parliament. “We will not letnation down if anybody tries to test our patience,” he said.
To a query, he said several freedom movements were ongoing in India and itcould not suppress Kashmiri freedom movement in Indian Held Kashmir (IHK).He said that the third generation of Kashmiris was rendering sacrifices fortheir liberation against the occupying forces.“The Indian government has failed to clamp down the political struggle ofKashmiris,” he said adding Pakistan government’s offer for dialogue wasstill on the table.
Major General Asif Ghafoor said that there was a realignment underway inthe international politics and Pakistan’s relations were getting betterwith other respective states.
He also rebuffed the Indian claim that Pakistan Army mutilated the body ofits soldier. “We categorically dismiss the Indian allegation. We are aprofessional army. We can’t disrespect the body of a soldier even if hebelongs to an enemy state,” he added. – APP