Pakistan says it’s committed to truce with India but vows to respond to aggression
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
Members of the media filming the inside of a building after it was hit by an Indian strike in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, on May 7.
PHOTO: REUTERS
ISLAMABAD/NEW DELHI - Pakistan said on May 13 that it remains committed to the truce with India, agreed after four days of intense military fighting last week, but vowed to respond to any future aggression by New Delhi with full resolve.
The comments from Islamabad came in response to an address to the nation
The nuclear-armed South Asian neighbours fired missiles and drones targeting each other’s military installations after India said it struck “terrorist infrastructure” sites in Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir on May 7, in retaliation for an attack on Hindu tourists in Indian Kashmir that killed 26 men.
Pakistan said the targets were all civilian and denies Indian accusations that it was behind the Kashmir attack.
Pakistan’s military said on May 13 the dead in the attacks comprised 40 civilians and 11 members of its armed forces.
India has said at least five military personnel and 16 civilians died.
It was the worst fighting between the two nations in nearly three decades, and they agreed to a ceasefire on May 10, following diplomacy and pressure from the US.
The Pakistani Foreign Ministry said Islamabad categorically rejects the “provocative and inflammatory assertions” made by Mr Modi on May 12.
“At a time when international efforts are being made for regional peace and stability, this statement represents a dangerous escalation,” it said in a statement.
“Pakistan remains committed to the recent ceasefire understanding and taking necessary steps towards de-escalation and regional stability,” it said, adding that any future aggression will also be met with full resolve.
Modi repeats warning
Hindu-majority India and Muslim Pakistan both rule part of the Himalayan region of Kashmir, but claim it in full.
The neighbours have fought two of their three wars since independence in 1947 over the region, and there have been several other limited flare-ups, including in 1999 and 2019.
Earlier on May 13, Mr Modi visited the Adampur airbase near the border and repeated his warning to Pakistan as he addressed Indian Air Force personnel, posing with them for photographs.
“We will not differentiate between the government sponsoring terrorism and the masterminds of terrorism,” Mr Modi said, referring to India’s response in the event of another attack.
“We will enter their dens and hit them without giving them an opportunity to survive,” he said.
Separately, the Indian Foreign Ministry said that the issue of trade did not come up in discussions with Washington during their conversations on the tensions with Pakistan.
On May 12, US President Donald Trump said the leaders of India and Pakistan were “unwavering”, and the US “helped a lot” to secure the ceasefire, adding that trade was a “big reason” why the countries stopped fighting.
India has said the military operations chiefs of both nations spoke by telephone on May 12, reiterating their commitment to halt firing and consider steps to reduce troops on the border.
Pakistan has not provided details of the call. REUTERS
