BY HAMZA AMEER
Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has sent out an open warning to India, claiming that his country would win the “fifth generation or hybrid war”.
Addressing a ceremony marking Defence Day and Martyrs’ Day at the General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi on Sunday, Bajwa said Pakistan is facing multiple challenges aimed at discrediting the country and its armed forces.
“We are facing the challenge that has been imposed on us in the form of the fifth generation or hybrid war. Its purpose is to discredit the country and its armed foces and spread chaos”, he said.
“We are well aware of this danger. We will surely succeed in winning this war with the cooperation of the nation.”
Giving out an open and clear warning without naming India, Bajwa said that Pakistan will give a befitting response to every aggression if a war is imposed.
“I want to send a message to my nation and the world that Pakistan is a peace-loving country. But if war is imposed on us, we will befittingly response to every aggression.
“We are always ready to defeat nefarious intentions of the enemy,” he said.
Hitting out at India, Bajwa said that in 1965, Pakistan had defeated India, an enemy he said many times greater in might than it. He also reminded Pakistan’s response to the 2019 Balakot airstrikes by India, insisting that there should be no doubt on the country’s readiness to respond.
“Pakistan had again demonstrated this in response to the failed airstrikes at Balakot and the enemy should have no doubt about it.
“We want peace in the whole world and especially in our region. Pakistan’s key role in peace efforts in Afghanistan is a testament to that, but our neighbour India has, as always, taken an irresponsible stance,” Bajwa added.
Mentioning the longstanding dispute of Kashmir between the two countries, the COAS said: “India, by illegally abrogating the special status of illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir had once again threatened peace in the region.
“There is no doubt that Kashmir is a recognized dispute and Pakistan did not accept any unilateral decision in this regard.
“Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had declared Kashmir the jugular vein of Pakistan. This is part of our faith. We will not show any flexibility in this regard.”
Bajwa reiterated that time has tried the capability of Pakistan many times, highlighting that the country has come our successful every time. “Pakistan is a living reality. Our blood, our passion and our actions will bear witness to this on every front,” he asserted.
