Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Saturday said that the armed forces were ready to 'reclaim' Azad Kashmir from Pakistan, if the Indian parliament orders them to do so, reported India Today.
“If the [Indian] parliament wants [Azad] Kashmir to be a part of India, then we will take the necessary action to achieve that goal,” the newly appointed Indian army chief told the media.
“There is a parliamentary resolution that entire Jammu and Kashmir is part of India. If the parliament wants it, then, that area [AJK] should also belong to us."
This is not the first time that the new Indian General has indulged in provocative posturing. In an earlier statement, Gen Naravane had said that India "reserves the right to preemptively strike at sources of terror".
Furthermore, he said that India "has evolved a strategy of resolute punitive response against sponsored terrorism".
Pakistan had rejected the statement, calling it "irresponsible".
The Foreign Office, in its statement,had said that Pakistan was fully able to respond to any Indian aggression in AJK and that New Delhi should not forget Islamabad's befitting response to its aggression in Balakot last year.
Tensions have been high between the two nuclear-armed neighbours since New Delhi revoked the special status of India-occupied Kashmir in August 2019, imposing a military lockdown in the valley.
In February 2019, the two countries had engaged in cross-border aerial missions, which had resulted in the capture of Indian pilot Abhinandan Varthaman by Pakistani forces.
The captured pilot was eventually let go by Pakistan as a gesture of peace.
Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor said on Saturday that the Indian army chief’s statement on across the Line of Control action was a part of routine rhetoric to divert attention from internal turmoil in India, adding that Pakistan's armed forces are ready to thwart any Indian aggression.
The DG ISPR, in a tweet, said that Pakistan’s armed forces are ready to respond to any Indian aggression.
The DG ISPR called the Indian COAS' statement a latest manifestation of extremist indoctrination in India’s state institutions.
"We are aware of the dangers of belligerent fascist mindset in IOJ&K and to regional peace. World needs to take notice of Indian atrocities in IOJ&K and against minorities across India,” he said.
He added that India has experienced Pakistan’s response on Feb 27, 2019. “Same shall be even stronger next time,” said the DG ISPR.
On December 26, Prime Minister Imran Khan, while addressing a rally in Pind Dadan Khan had said Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has assured him that the country's military is "ready for India" in case of an attack on Azad Kashmir.
"I am telling you now, [Indian Prime Minister Narendra] Modi will use this [protests against anti-Muslim laws in India] to do something in Azad Kashmir. I informed Gen Bajwa about this and he told me that Pakistan Army is ready for India," the premier had said.