A file photo of Pakistan Army spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor
Pakistan on Saturday reacted strongly to Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane’s remarks on taking back Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) if the government wanted the armed forces to do so, with the Pakistan Army telling its domestic audience that it was “fully prepared” to respond to any “Indian aggression.”
“(The) statements by Indian COAS to undertake military action across LOC are routine rhetoric for domestic audiences to get out of ongoing internal turmoil. Pakistan Armed Forces are fully prepared to respond to any act of Indian aggression,” Pakistan’s military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor tweeted from his official handle on Saturday.
The remarks by the Pakistan Army came hours after Indian Army’s new chief General Naravane addressed a press conference earlier in the day.
Reiterating that Indian forces were ready to take over PoK should that be the government mandate, General Naravane highlighted that there was already a parliamentary resolution saying that all of Jammu and Kashmir, including PoK, was part of India.
“If Parliament wants it, then PoK should belong to India, he said.
When the Army gets orders to that effect, it will definitely take action, the new Army chief was quoted as saying by Asian News International (ANI).
