Army Chief warns Pakistan, says ready if war is forced

New Delhi, January 15

Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat on Tuesday warned Pakistan that India will not hesitate in carrying out strong action against inimical moves, asserting that its forces were giving enemies along the Line of Control a “befitting reply” and inflicting heavy losses.

Gen Rawat also said India’s neighbour on the western border continues to support terrorism. The Army is ensuring dominance along the LoC and will continue to do so, he assured. “Our forces are giving a befitting reply to our enemies along the Line of Control. They are suffering heavy losses. I am warning our enemy (across the LoC) that we will not hesitate in carrying out strong action against any inimical action,” he said while addressing Army personnel on the occasion of Army Day here.

“We are ensuring moral dominance along the border in J&K,” he said. The Army has ensured heavy damage to terrorists in the state, Gen Rawat said. The youth in J&K are being terrorised and forced to take up arms, he said.

“We do not want that people in J&K are disturbed. Our neighbouring country has a hand in these activities. Terrorists are being trained and given arms by our neighbouring country, which is being termed state-sponsored terrorism globally,” he said.

Referring to the border with China, he said the armies of both India and China have issued new guidelines to their respective forces. “Efforts are on to maintain peace along the (eastern) border. But we will keep reviewing the situation,” he said. — PTI

Pak prepared: Bajwa

• Pakistan’s military is fully prepared to deal with internal and external challenges, Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa said
• “Our internal and external challenges demand a comprehensive national response and the army, in coordination with other institutions of the state, is fully engaged in enabling that response,” he said at the 3rd National Security Workshop at Balochistan in Quetta
• He reiterated that prosperity of Pakistan is linked with prosperity of Balochistan