Seeking conflict with nuclear power is 'sheer stupidity', warns DG ISPR

Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal remains fully secure and invincible against any threat, declared Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry in an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera TV on Wednesday.

The military spokesperson maintained that Pakistan is a responsible and declared nuclear power, with a completely secure nuclear programme. “Our nuclear capability is invincible and no one can dare to target our nuclear programme,” he reiterated.

He also addressed broader geopolitical issues, reaffirming Pakistan’s support for Iran in the face of Israeli aggression.

“Iran is Pakistan’s brotherly, neighbourly Islamic country. Pakistan’s relations with Iran are rooted in shared faith, history, and culture,” he said. “In the context of the recent conflict, Pakistan’s support for Iran has been entirely principled — based on the UN Charter, international law, and the laws of armed conflict.”

When asked whether there is any concern within Pakistan’s military establishment that the country could be the next target following recent developments in Iran, the DG ISPR denied the notion.

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He said there is “absolutely no concern whatsoever in the military that Pakistan can become the next target — absolutely no concern.” Explaining the rationale, he stated that there is a “sea of difference” between Pakistan and these two countries.

“We are an established and declared nuclear power, and the world has no experience of going to — or even attempting to go into — a misadventure against an established nuclear power,” he said. “If such a misadventure is taken or attempted, it will lead to horrific consequences which the world may not be able to endure.”

He added: “Hence, I have said it before and I will say it again very clearly — seeking military space or conflict space with an established nuclear power for elusive objectives is absurd, sheer stupidity, and inconceivable.”

'State-sponsored terrorism part of India's policy'

The military spokesperson further said that India’s support for terrorist activities is aimed at destabilising Pakistan’s security, particularly in the volatile region of Balochistan.

"These nefarious designs of India are a systematic conspiracy to destabilise Pakistan, especially in Balochistan," he said. He added that India had admitted multiple times to supporting terrorism within Pakistan.

DG ISPR reiterated that Pakistan views any aggression against its sovereign territory as a direct threat to regional stability.

"India’s political leadership has repeatedly admitted to supporting terrorism in Pakistan," he said, naming Ajit Doval, India’s National Security Advisor, as the mastermind behind New Delhi's network of state-sponsored terrorism.

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The military spokesperson also referred to the recent attack in Waziristan, claimed by the proscribed TTP, which martyred 16 Pakistani soldiers and injured over 20 others.

Pakistan has consistently maintained that India is directly involved in such attacks. "India is supporting and financing terrorist activities in Pakistan," he reiterated.

“The current Fitna al-Khawarij is a continuation of the misguided ideology that has historically led to the killing of Muslims under a false religious narrative,” he said.

In Islam, only the state has the authority to wage holy war (jihad) or engage in combat, and no individual, organisation, or group has this power, he said. "The Khawarij have no relation to Islam, humanity, Pakistan, or Pakistani traditions," he maintained.

DG ISPR added that the term Fitna al-Hindustan was used in Pakistan to describe terrorists supported by India. “Fitna al-Hindustan is particularly active in destabilising the country, especially in the province of Balochistan,” he said.

He emphasised that several countries, including the United States and Canada, have acknowledged Indian state-sponsored terrorism on their soil as well.