Pakistan Army ready to thwart any attempt from eastern border: COAS

GILGIT: Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa said on Saturday that Pakistan Army was alive to the threat that was present on the eastern border and said that any misadventure would be responded to with full force.

The army chief was speaking at the formation headquarters in Gilgit where he said that the army was alive to the threat on its eastern border and warned the enemy from committing any misadventure.

“We are alive to threat from Eastern Border linked to ongoing situation in IOJ&K and fully prepared to thwart any misadventure or aggression,” he said.

General Bajwa praised the state of readiness of the formation troops and officers. The army chief laid a floral wreath at the Shuhuda monument, honouring the martyrs who laid down their lives in the defence of the motherland.

The statement from the army chief comes at a time when India and Pakistan have locked horns on the issue of Indian-occupied Kashmir. The occupied valley has seen Indian atrocities, blockade of communication, food and medicines for more than two weeks.

India, on August 5, through a rushed presidential order, revoked Article 370 and Article 35-A of the constitution. Article 370 granted Kashmir special constitutional status whose revocation meant India illegally annexed the disputed territory.

On Saturday, Congress Party chief Rahul Gandhi was stopped from visiting Srinagar from the city’s airport and transferred to New Delhi via a connecting flight.

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi slammed the Modi government for arresting and sending back Congress Party chief Rahul Gandhi, saying that it exposed the true face of the fascist Modi government.

Speaking at a press conference today, the foreign minister said that it was unfortunate how Modi was carrying on about Kashmir. He said that Rahul Gandhi’s arrest had exposed the true face of the Modi government.

“If this is how they treat their own, what expectation does Pakistan have?” he asked.

Qureshi was referring to the earlier incident at Srinagar airport involving Congress Party chief Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders. Mr Gandhi and the rest of the 11-member opposition delegation were stopped at Srinagar airport and placed on the next flight to New Delhi.

“This is the true face of the Modi government which has been exposed to the world today,” he said.

Qureshi said that Kashmiris were being denied their basic rights in the disputed territory. He said that Muslims were not allowed to pray in mosques on Friday which were locked up.