Army warns India of ‘cataclysmic devastation’ if it triggers fresh round of hostilities | The Express Tribune

RAWALPINDI:

Pakistan Army has warned India over provocative statements, cautioning that its fresh round of hostilities would lead towards cataclysmic devastation as Pakistan will not hold back but respond without any worries.

“We caution that a future conflict might lead to cataclysmic devastation. In case a fresh round of hostilities is triggered, Pakistan will not hold back. We shall resolutely respond without qualms or restraint,” said the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Saturday.

The statement added that the Army has noted with grave concern the delusional, provocative and jingoistic remarks coming from the highest levels of the Indian security establishment. “These irresponsible statements indicate a renewed attempt to fabricate arbitrary pretexts for aggression — a prospect that could have serious consequences for peace and stability in South Asia,” it said.

For decades, India has benefited from portraying itself as the victim and painting Pakistan in a negative light while allegedly stoking violence and perpetrating terrorism in South Asia and beyond. That narrative, the statement said, has been sufficiently debunked, and the world now recognises India as the true face of cross-border terrorism and the epicentre of regional instability.

The ISPR said, earlier this year, Indian aggression against Pakistan brought two nuclear powers to the brink of a major war. However, India seems to have forgotten the wreckage of its fighter jets and the reach of Pakistan’s long-range vectors. Suffering from collective amnesia, India now appears to be seeking the next round of confrontation.

The statement warned that those attempting to establish a ‘new normal’ should know Pakistan has established its own new normal of response, which will be swift, decisive and destructive. “In the face of unwarranted threats and reckless aggression, the people and the Armed Forces of Pakistan have the capability and resolve to take the fight to every nook and corner of the enemy’s territory.”

“This time we shall shatter the myth of geographic immunity, hitting the farthest reaches of Indian territory,” the statement said. “As for talk of erasing Pakistan from the map, India must know that, if such a situation arises, the erasure will be on both sides of the border.”

Pakistan-India Recent Conflict

The latest escalation between Pakistan and India began on April 22, when an attack in Pahalgam killed 26 people. India immediately blamed Pakistan for the incident. However, Pakistan categorically rejected the Indian blame.

In response, India undertook a series of hostile actions the next day on April 23, including suspending the 65-year-old Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), cancelling visas for Pakistani citizens, closing the Wagah-Attari border crossing, ordering the shutdown of the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, and reducing diplomatic staff at each other’s embassies.

Tensions further escalated in the early hours of May 7, when missile strikes hit six cities in Punjab and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), destroying a mosque and killing dozens of civilians, including women, children, and the elderly.

Read More: French intelligence official confirms downing of Rafale by Pakistan

In a swift military response, Pakistan’s armed forces shot down Indian warplanes, including three Rafale jets. The confrontation intensified again in the early hours of May 10, when India targeted several Pakistani airbases with missile strikes. In retaliation, Pakistan launched Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, damaging Indian military installations, including missile storage sites, airbases, and other strategic targets.

Later, US President Donald Trump announced that a ceasefire had been reached following intense diplomatic efforts overnight. Minutes later, the agreement was confirmed separately by Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and the Indian foreign secretary.