New Pakistan Army chief says will defend ‘every inch of motherland’, warns India: Reports
India's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to news agency Reuters's request for comment on General Syed Asim Munir's statement.
Less than a week after becoming Pakistan's new army chief, General Syed Asim Munir visited the Rakhchikri Sector in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) on Saturday and said the military was ready to defend "every inch of our motherland" if attacked, in a direct warning to India.
"We have noticed highly irresponsible statements from Indian leadership on G-B & AJK recently. Let me make it categorically clear, Pakistan's armed forces are ever ready, not only to defend every inch of our motherland, but to take the fight back to the enemy, if ever, war is imposed on us," The Express Tribune quoted Munir as saying.
India's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to news agency Reuters's request for comment.
According to the military's media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the army chief interacted with officers and soldiers and appreciated their high morale, professional competence and combat readiness while performing their duties in challenging conditions, the Pakistan media reported.
Munir was apparently referring to Northern Army Commander Lt General Upendra Dwivedi's recent statement in which he had reportedly said, "As far as the Indian Army is concerned, it will carry out any order given by the government of India. Whenever such orders are given, we will always be ready for it. The military is always ready to make sure that ceasefire understanding is never broken as it is in the interest of both nations, but if broken at any time, we will give them a befitting reply."
Dwivedi made his statement while reacting to defence minister Rajnath Singh's remarks stressing the government's resolve to take back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
On November 24, President Arif Alvi promoted Munir to the rank of General with immediate effect and appointed him as Chief of Army Staff (COAS), ending intense speculation over the most powerful position in the coup-prone country, where the military wields considerable power in matters of security and foreign policy.
On Tuesday, Munir replaced General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who retired after serving two consecutive three-year terms as the army chief.
(With inputs from Reuters, ANI, PTI)