Indian army chief’s remarks ‘routine rhetoric’, says DG ISPR

RAWALPINDI: Statements by Indian army chief to undertake military action across Line of Control were routine rhetoric for domestic audiences to get out of ongoing internal turmoil, said Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj-Gen Asif Ghafoor in a tweet on Saturday.

He said Pakistan Armed Forces were fully prepared to respond to any act of Indian aggression.

Indian army chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane had said if his army received orders from the Indian parliament to “reclaim” Azad Kashmir from Pakistan, it would take action, Indian media reported.

This is not the first time the new Indian general has indulged in provocative posturing. In an earlier statement, Gen Naravane had said India “reserve[d] the right to preemptively strike at sources of terror”. Pakistan had rejected the statement, calling it irresponsible.