Defeated in Ma’arka-e-Haq, India has now upped proxy war: COAS

RAWALPINDI /ISLAMABAD: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has strongly condemned India’s blatant sponsorship of terror proxies, characterising them as a failed attempt to target the deep-rooted patriotism of the people of Balochistan. The COAS, while interacting with participants of the 16th National Workshop Balochistan, elucidated that India, having suffered defeat in ‘Ma’arka-e-Haq’ has now escalated its proxy war to advance its nefarious designs, specifically referencing to Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan as pawns of Indian hybrid war against Pakistan, the Inter Services Public Relations said in a statement. “These proxies will face a similar fate and humiliation as faced in Ma’arka-e-Haq, Insha Allah,” Field Marshal Asim Munir maintained.

The audience comprised a diverse group of stakeholders, including parliamentarians, representatives of civil society, civil servants, academicians, media personnel and youth. The COAS, while addressing them, resolutely reaffirmed Pakistan Army’s unwavering commitment to uproot the menace of terrorism and inevitability of socio-economic uplift of Balochistan for national cohesion and integration. He emphasized that terrorists knew no bounds of religion, sect, or ethnicity, necessitating a unified national response, stressing the imperative of collective resolve in confronting this menace.

The COAS highlighted the pivotal role of development initiatives in Balochistan, advocating for enhanced inter-agency cooperation and a cohesive national approach to propel provincial progress and national advancement. While reaffirming Pakistan’s commitment to regional peace, he underscored the nation’s preparedness to respond decisively to any external or internal threats, protecting national prestige and ensuring the wellbeing of its citizens. The session concluded after a candid interactive discourse between the participants and COAS, the statement said.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs out-right rejected the Indian Lok Sabha debate on “Operation Sindoor” saying that the recent military standoff with Pakistan reflected not only a “dangerous tendency to distort facts, justify aggression, and glorify conflict for domestic consumption, but also the Indian narrative of an alleged nuclear blackmail by Pakistan is a misleading and self-serving construct, and an attempt to veil its own escalatory impulses while shifting blame onto Pakistan.”

“Pakistan categorically rejects the baseless assertions and provocative claims made by the Indian leaders during the Lok Sabha debate on the so-called ‘Operation Sindoor’. These statements reflect a dangerous tendency to distort facts, justify aggression and glorify conflict for domestic consumption,” said the Foreign Office in a statement. It pointed out that the world knows that India attacked Pakistan without any verifiable evidence or a credible investigation into the Pahalgam attack.

“During the intervening night of May 6 and 7, 2025, India’s targeting of the alleged terrorist infrastructure resulted actually in the martyrdom of innocent men, women and children. India failed to achieve any of its strategic objectives. On the other hand, Pakistan’s resounding success in neutralising the Indian fighter jets and military targets is an indisputable fact,” reminded the Foreign Office.

Instead, Pakistan suggested that instead of misleading their compatriots, the Indian leaders would be well-advised to acknowledge the losses incurred by their armed forces and accept the active role played by the third parties in realising the ceasefire. India was reminded that it did not avail itself of the immediate offer made by the Prime Minister of Pakistan for a transparent and independent probe into the Pahalgam attack. Instead, it chose the path of belligerence and aggression. It acted as a judge, jury and executioner at the same time.

A subtle warning was sent from Islamabad that against this backdrop, any claims regarding the so-called “Operation Mahadev” do not hold any significance for it.

“The account given by the Indian home minister is replete with fabrications, leading to serious questions about its credibility. Is it a mere coincidence that the alleged perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack were killed at the start of the Lok Sabha debate?” was a pertinent question asked by Islamabad. Pakistan, refusing to look away from these Indian allegations, reiterated its unequivocal rejection of the ceaseless Indian statements on establishing a “new normal” in bilateral relations. “As we have already shown through our resolute actions in May 2025, we shall forcefully counter any future aggression. For us, the only ‘normal’ in bilateral relations is respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and adherence to the principles and purposes of the UN Charter,” pointed out the statement.

The Indian narrative of an alleged “nuclear blackmail” by Pakistan is a misleading and self-serving construct, and an attempt to veil its own escalatory impulses while shifting blame onto Pakistan. It is well known that Pakistan deterred India through its conventional capabilities, affirming that discipline and restraint remain its guiding principles.

“We also wish to register our disapproval of the Indian leaders’ misplaced assertions regarding the Indus Waters Treaty. India’s decision to hold the treaty in abeyance shows its blatant disregard for the sanctity of international treaties and strikes at a fundamental pillar of regional cooperation. Instead of taking pride in a unilateral and illegal move, India must immediately fulfil its treaty obligations,” added the statement.

India’s continued reliance on disinformation, jingoism and chest-thumping risks destabilising South Asia. “However, as a responsible country, Pakistan remains committed to peace, regional stability and a meaningful dialogue for resolution of all outstanding issues, including the core dispute of Jammu and Kashmir,” the FO statement concluded.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Wednesday launched a fierce attack on Narendra Modi, saying the Indian prime minister is politically isolated at home and abroad.

Speaking to reporters in Islamabad, the defence minister said that Indian PM Modi has “become an international joke” and is no longer taken seriously on the global stage. “He tries to shake hands, but people avoid him,” he remarked.

Asif went on to say that recent public statements by Modi are an attempt to recover his lost political ground, which the former believes is no longer possible.

The defence minister also pointed to recent parliamentary sessions in India, saying that Modi faced visible embarrassment. He urged the Indian prime minister to accept the facts of the recent military stand-off, noting that even Indian media and armed forces have admitted to losing fighter jets against Pakistan.

Also, parliamentary leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the Senate Irfan Siddiqui has responded to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent remarks in the Lok Sabha, saying that “the tea stall of lies cannot run for long.”

Taking to the social media platform X on Wednesday, Senator Siddiqui said that Modi must now accept the reality that Pakistan’s just struggle has reshaped the regional narrative and exposed India’s true face to the world.

Referring to Modi’s two-hour-long speech in the Indian parliament, Siddiqui said that instead of providing clarity, the address only raised new questions and deepened existing dilemmas.

“Modi should understand that lies, no matter how loudly repeated, cannot suppress the truth forever,” he wrote, adding that “the fabricated narrative is beginning to collapse under the weight of reality.”