Islamabad, Dec 7: Pakistan on Sunday criticised External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s remarks against its military, saying its institutions, including armed forces, are a pillar of national security.
Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi on Saturday, Jaishankar said much of India’s problem emanates from Pakistan’s military and even referred to its support for terror groups.
Like there are good terrorists and bad terrorists, there are good military leaders and apparently not-so-good ones, he said, seen as a reference to Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir.
“Pakistan categorically rejects and condemns the highly inflammatory, baseless and irresponsible comments made by the Indian External Affairs Minister,” Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said in response to media queries regarding Jaishankar’s comments.
Andrabi said that Pakistan is a “responsible” state and its all institutions, including armed forces, are a “pillar of national security.” The spokesperson said that the conflict in May demonstrated the resolve of Pakistani forces to defend the country against any aggression in a “befitting, effective yet responsible manner.” He criticised what he called the “attempts” to defame Pakistan’s state institutions and its leadership as a part of a “propaganda campaign.” India launched Operation Sindoor on May 7, targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.
The strikes triggered four days of intense clashes that ended with an understanding on stopping the military actions on May 10.
At least a dozen Pakistani military aircraft, including US-origin F-16 jets, were destroyed or damaged in Indian strikes, according to Air Chief Marshal A P Singh. (PTI)
