Armed forces vow swift response to any aggression

RAWALPINDI:

Director General Inter-Services Public Relations Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Thursday said that "no one can harm Pakistan", as we inflicted a crushing defeat on an enemy five times larger across all fronts, adding that the armed forces were ready to respond to any future aggression.

Addressing a news conference marking one year since the completion of Marka-e-Haq, the DG ISPR, who was accompanied by senior officers of Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force, congratulated the nation on the occasion. He said Pakistan had inflicted a humiliating defeat on India across all fronts.

Lt Gen Chaudhry said, "A year ago, we ground India's pride into the dust. We have always said that no one can harm Pakistan. We were ready then, and we are ready now; if anyone has any doubt, we have shown them one episode of it."

"Pakistan defeated the enemy on every front and changed the nature of warfare during Marka-e-Haq, stating that Pakistan achieved success in multi-domain warfare across air, land, sea, and cyber domains," he added.

The DG ISPR said India had long propagated a false narrative accusing Pakistan of involvement in terrorism and had conducted false flag operations for this purpose, adding that allegations were levelled against Pakistan within minutes of the Pahalgam incident without investigation.

He further added that India's "terrorism drama" has been buried forever, calling India itself the biggest terrorist. He challenged India to identify which terrorist camp it targeted, and said that India orchestrated terrorism against its own people to blame others.

The DG ISPR said India was facilitating terrorism and that all terrorist incidents in Pakistan involved India and Afghanistan. He added that Afghanistan's "so-called" foreign minister sought assistance from India.

He also pointed out that India had failed to produce evidence regarding the Pahalgam incident. He noted that an FIR was registered within ten minutes of the event, yet a year later, no proof had surfaced.

Lt Gen Chaudhry said that what happened in Marka-e-Haq was known not just in Pakistan, but by every child in India and also advised India to speak the truth, adding that Hindutva ideology was being imposed on minorities in India.

Indian politicians appeared more like warriors than statesmen and said India's professional military had been compromised by politics and India was using Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan out of frustration over its defeat, he said.

He added that Pakistan was the principal contributor to regional stability and efforts for peace, stressing that war between two nuclear states would be madness.

The DG ISPR announced that a "small glimpse" of Pakistan's power potential would be shown to the public on August 14, so that "they cannot say later that they weren't told". He vowed to defend Pakistan's security and sovereignty at all costs.

He also added that Kashmir was not India's internal matter but a globally recognised dispute with pending UN resolutions, India was committing atrocities against Muslims in Kashmir and citizens in Manipur.

The DG ISPR emphasised the significance of the mutual defence pact between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, underscoring Pakistan's pivotal role in guarding the two holiest sites in Islam.

In response to a question, he said that Pakistan was chosen to protect Harmain Shareefain (the Masjid al-Haram in Makkah and the Masjid-e-Nabawi in Madinah), and "protecting these sacred sites is intrinsically linked to Saudi Arabia's national security."

He further stressed that any threat to Saudi Arabia would be considered a direct threat to Pakistan.

Chaudhry described the defence pact as a "manifestation" of the longstanding ties between Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, which span several decades and cover multiple domains. "We will fulfil our duty and honour the commitments we have made", he said.

In response to a question regarding the status of Operation Ghazab lil Haq in Afghanistan, he stated that the operation was still ongoing.

Chaudhry emphasised that Pakistan harbours no animosity towards Afghanistan or its people. "We have nothing against Afghanistan, especially the people of Afghanistan," he said, underlining Pakistan's longstanding position as a friend and host to Afghan refugees.

The military spokesperson further highlighted Pakistan's role as "the best of brothers" and a host to Afghans, showcasing the nation's commitment to brotherhood and hospitality. "There's no better example of brotherhood and hospitality," he added.

He explained that the operation was an integral part of Pakistan's national response to terrorism.

Addressing the presser, Rear Admiral Shifaat Ali Khan described Marka-e-Haq as a "historic and memorable" event, where Pakistan's naval forces delivered a decisive blow to India's naval capabilities. Reflecting on the events leading up to the conflict, he noted that the Indian Navy had long prided itself on its military strength and dominance in the region.

However, he questioned why the Indian Navy failed to challenge Pakistan during the conflict. "The question remains as to why their naval force was unable to muster the courage against Pakistan," he added.

He went on to reveal that India had tried to deploy its vessels in the northern Arabian Sea during the conflict, with the aim of targeting Pakistan's naval assets and disrupting vital maritime trade routes. "The only purpose behind this move was to inflict economic harm on us by disrupting our naval trade and waterways," he said.

The Rear Admiral Ali emphasised that the country's waterways remained uninterrupted, and vital installations and ports stayed protected throughout the conflict.

He also highlighted the vigilance of the Pakistan Navy, stating that the force continued to monitor the enemy's activities through its modern surveillance systems.

"Pakistan Navy and Pakistan Air Force were prepared to destroy the Indian aircraft carrier Vikrant," he recalled. Despite the preparations, he pointed out, the Indian Navy remained confined to its sanctuaries, and the conflict ended without further escalation.

Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Tariq Ghazi, in a press briefing, highlighted key strikes against India's air and military infrastructure. He described the operation as an "exceptionally synchronised" effort, where both defensive and offensive strategies by the PAF proved decisive.

Ghazi pointed out that the Indian Air Force's (IAF) initial aggressive deployment, which included key assets and offensive weapon systems, was tracked meticulously by the PAF. He stressed that the results were decisive, with the PAF achieving an 8-0 outcome in its engagement with the IAF.

The senior PAF official elaborated on the success of the strikes, noting that Pakistan's offensive reached devastating levels. He revealed that the PAF had destroyed four Rafales, a MiG-29, a Su-30, a Mirage 2000, and a multi-role unmanned aerial system.

He further elaborated that the PAF's attack on India's S-400 systems was carried out by JF-17 Block III aircraft, developed domestically in Pakistan.

Reflecting on the success of the operation, AVM Ghazi said that Marka-e-Haq had set a precedent for air warfare. "It's the first time in history that full-spectrum, multi-spectrum operations were demonstrated," he noted, calling it a "classical case study for air warfare experts."

He added that the PAF's response had been "overwhelming and shocking" to India, with the PAF demonstrating a formidable homegrown kill chain. Ghazi praised the PAF's ability to integrate all operational elements into a single force, further solidifying its dominance in the conflict.

Looking ahead, Ghazi said the PAF was focused on enhancing its capabilities to maintain its qualitative edge in future conflicts.