No room for war between two nuclear powers: DG ISPR

By News Desk

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan was fully alive to Indian designs, however, there was no room for war between two nuclear powers, because if a war broke out, it would have “unintended and uncontrollable consequences”, said Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj-Gen Babar Iftikhar, here on Thursday.

Maj-Gen Iftikhar at a news conference said Pakistan was fully alive to internal and external threats and would render every sacrifice to protect its security and territorial integrity with full capacity and resolve. He reiterated the firm resolve of Pakistan government, armed forces and the nation to stand united for the country’s defence and warned the adversaries not to test Pakistan’s capability and resolve. “There is no room for war between two nuclear powers. We are aware of India’s capability and are ever ready to defend our motherland.

If war starts, it will have unintended and uncontrollable consequences,” he said in reply to a question about Indian military build-up. “We are taking their statements and designs seriously and will defend our motherland at any cost. We always prefer to ensure peace in the region but our core capability is very much in place,” he added. He said Pakistan was also having an eye on India’s military spending that was Pakistan centric and India was among top three countries in the world, in terms of military spending.

In this context, he specifically mentioned to February 27, 2019 operation ‘Swift Retort’. He said despite India’s massive spending on defence, Pakistan showed its capacity and capability by shooting down two Indian planes and arresting its Squadron Leader Abhinandan.

Briefing the media on national security, Line of Control and Kashmir situation and Operation Radd-ul-Fasad in connection with February 27, 2019 operation ‘Swift Retort,’ the Army spokesman said during 73-year history of the country, Pakistani nation and forces stood united in every need of the hour.

He said February 27 could validly be described as ‘thanksgiving day’ and manifested the firm resolves to defend the country and nation. “After February 14, 2019 Pulwana incident, India levelled baseless allegations despite the fact that Pakistan had offered all kind of cooperation for probe into the incident.”

In this situation, he said Pakistan played the role of a responsible nation as it always endeavoured for peace in the region. “But, India resorted to a cowardly act of intruding into Pakistan’s airspace. Our forces were ready and Indian warplanes had to run away after dropping their payload in our forest area.”

He said: “This was an open challenge for Pakistan and our forces responded in broad daylight, engaging six targets and hitting down two Indian planes and arresting their Squadron Leader.”

“February 27 is a momentous day and a glaring example of our valour and commitment to national security as once again our forces fully came up to masses’ expectations,” he added. “With the reference to this day, we salute all our martyrs and survivors of wars since 1947 as we reiterate to fight out all internal and external threats faced to the motherland,” he said.

“There is no price for honour and dignity and our forces and nation have been sacrificing for honour and national defence”, he added. He said: “Pakistani leadership and armed forces are well aware of Indian acts that always posed serious threat to regional peace despite our peace overtures.

Briefing the media on Operation Radd-ul-Fasaad, ISPR Maj-Gen Iftikhar said in the past two decades, Pakistan had fought a successful war against terrorism. “Our nation and forces have not only fought against terrorism to ensure peace in our region, but rather contributed towards global peace through extraordinary sacrifices and efforts”, he added.

He said Radd-ul-Fasaad had completed its three years and the operation was a very significant step towards long lasting peace in the region. “The Pakistan armed forces had made numerous achievements as in Kinetic Domain over 1,200 military and around 150,000 intelligence-based operations were conducted killing 17,000 and confiscating 450 tonnes of explosive from terrorists’ possession.”

In warfare and other domains important legislation was made while 1000 Al-Qaeda terrorists were either killed or apprehended in various anti-terrorism operations, he said. Intelligence sharing was made with around 70 countries helping in eliminating several international terrorist networks, he added.

The DG ISPR informed a total of 46,000 square kilometres area was cleansed of terrorists and writ of the state was established. “Today, there is no such area in the country where terrorists can challenge writ of the government,” he added.

He said overall 80,000 sacrifices were rendered by Pakistan in the war against terrorism as the country suffered over US$ 180 billion economic losses.

Commenting on the prevailing situation along the Line of Control (LoC), the DG ISPR said Pakistan was facing consistent threats from India at its eastern border. “Pakistan’s civil and military leadership is fully aware of what India is playing, in desperation, to divert attention from its internal disruption. India’s this act is extremely dangerous for the regional peace, ” he said.

He said Indian brutalities in Occupied Kashmir had been continuing unabatedly for the last 73 years, adding the people of Kashmir were facing increased suppression for the last 207 days due to the India’s August 5 action. “Life is completely paralysed in occupied Kashmir and genocide of Kashmiris was being done there. There is a complete lockdown situation,” he said, adding today the Kashmir issue was not only a dispute of ideology and geography, but now it had started becoming the biggest human rights violations tragedy in the world history.

“Resolution of the Kashmir issue is not only our national interest but also a guarantee for our national security. In Kashmiris’ movement for freedom, we were, are and will remain with them forever”, he added.

Answering a question, the ISPR DG said the world, especially Pakistan, was cognisant of the miseries of besieged Kashmiris, adding all options were on the table to resolve the Kashmir issue.

Replying to question about the ongoing US-Taliban peace dialogue and subsequent agreement, he said there was no report of any interruption in the dialogue process, expressing the confidence that the upcoming agreement would yield good results.

To another question about reports of coronavirus cases in Pakistan, he said the Ministry of Health had made all-out measures to control the virus as only two cases had so far been identified, which showed the country’s efforts were paying-off.

He said the armed forces were ready to assist the government in that regard, whenever they were called.