Ex-AJK president rejects India's 'ICBM hype'
In an exclusive interview with a news network, Khan dismissed recent allegations linking Pakistan to intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) development as fabricated and politically motivated distortions. He claimed the narrative is being deliberately amplified by Indian intelligence agencies and media outlets as part of a broader campaign to undermine Pakistan's strategic credibility and disrupt its growing relationship with Washington.
Khan pointed to a recent article in Foreign Affairs that mentioned Pakistan's missile programme only briefly, noting that the focus was primarily on nations such as China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.
"Despite being referenced in just one paragraph, Indian actors have inflated this into a full-fledged disinformation drive," Khan said, calling the move "an act of narrative desperation."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Recorder
2 hours ago
- Business Recorder
Sweden resumes visa services for Pakistanis
ISLAMABAD: Sweden announced to resume visa services for Pakistanis through its Embassy in Islamabad two years after it was closed amid security concerns following massive protests over desecration of Holy Quran, Foreign Office Spokesperson Shafqat Ali Khan confirmed on Monday. 'Following the Bilateral Political Consultations (BPC) between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan and Sweden, held in Stockholm on 2nd July 2025, the Government of Sweden has announced the resumption of visa services in Islamabad. This will facilitate Pakistanis seeking to visit Sweden for short stays,' the spokesperson added. Effective 7th July 2025, the FO statement reads that Pakistani nationals can apply for a Schengen visa from within Pakistan for visits to Sweden of up to 90 days. 'Pakistan welcomes this positive development, which reflects the strengthening of bilateral relations between the two countries,' Ambassador Shafqat remarked. The Pakistani delegation to the Bilateral Consultations in Stockholm was led by the Additional Foreign Secretary (Europe), while the Swedish side was headed by the Director General for Global Affairs from the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Embassy of Sweden in Islamabad had shut down its operation in Pakistan indefinitely on 12th April 2023 citing the security situation as the main reason. Sweden had also pulled its staff from the Embassy for their safety and security. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
2 hours ago
- Business Recorder
COAS rejects Indian allegation of Chinese help
ISLAMABAD: Field Marshal, Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Syed Asim Munir categorically denied India's baseless allegations that China supported Pakistan during Operation Bunyanum Marsoos. Addressing the graduating officers of the National Security and War Course at the National Defence University (NDU) Islamabad, the army chief termed the Indian claims 'irresponsible and contrary to facts', emphasising that Pakistan's success was rooted in its own strategic foresight, professional excellence, and institutional strength. He stated that such accusations reflect India's habitual reluctance to acknowledge Pakistan's indigenous capabilities and long-term strategic planning. 'These statements are an attempt to undermine our achievements and shift focus from India's own military and strategic failures,' said the Field Marshal. He said that Operation Sindoor marked a strategic failure for India, where it could not achieve its declared military objectives. 'India's irrational justifications following the operation only expose its lack of operational readiness and poor strategic depth,' he added. The army chief stressed that wars are not won through political rhetoric, media campaigns, or imported weaponry. 'They are won through unwavering resolve, professional competence, operational clarity, and strong institutions backed by national will,' he asserted. Highlighting the evolving nature of warfare, Field Marshal Munir spoke on the importance of mental preparedness, strategic understanding, and professional excellence in tackling complex, multi-domain threats. He emphasised that institutions like the National Defence University play a vital role in preparing leadership capable of dealing with hybrid, conventional, and non-conventional challenges. He also called for greater synergy between civil and military institutions to effectively manage national security imperatives. Commenting on India's recent provocative statements, the army chief said, 'Trying to involve third parties in a purely bilateral conflict is a reflection of India's failed political and military approach. The narrative of being a 'net security provider' in the region is a false construct— especially when regional countries are themselves frustrated by India's aggressive behaviour and Hindutva-driven ideology.' Contrasting this with Pakistan's diplomatic conduct, he said, 'Pakistan has built durable partnerships on the basis of mutual respect, peace, and principled diplomacy. Our approach has proven us to be a net regional stabiliser.' Reaffirming Pakistan's firm position on national sovereignty, Field Marshal Munir warned, 'Any misadventure or violation of Pakistan's territorial integrity will be met with an immediate, forceful, and uncompromising response.' He added that any attempt to target Pakistan's population centres, economic hubs, military bases, or ports would result in a 'severe, painful, and disproportionate retaliation,' and that the responsibility for such escalation would lie entirely with the 'reckless aggressor'— India—whose leadership fails to grasp the consequences of provoking a sovereign nuclear state. Expressing full confidence in the professionalism, readiness, and spirit of Pakistan's Armed Forces, the Field Marshal urged the graduating officers to remain committed to integrity, selfless service, and unwavering dedication to the nation. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
5 hours ago
- Express Tribune
COAS warns of crippling response to aggression
Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Monday issued a stern warning, stating that any misadventure or violation of Pakistan's territorial integrity by an aggressor would be met with a "deeply hurting and more than reciprocal response" – delivered without constraints or hesitation. Addressing the graduating officers at the National Defence University (NDU), Islamabad, the army chief said that India's allegations of external support to Pakistan during the Operation Bunyanum Marsoos reflected Delhi's chronic reluctance to acknowledge Pakistan's indigenous capability. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the media wing of the military, Field Marshal Asim Munir visited the NDU, where he addressed the graduating officers of the National Security and War Course, comprising participants from all services. In his address, the army chief highlighted the evolving character of warfare and underscored the centrality of mental preparedness, operational clarity, and institutional professionalism in navigating complex strategic issues. He reiterated Pakistan's principled stance that any misadventure or attempts to undermine Pakistan's sovereignty or violation of territorial integrity would "continue to be reflexively met with a swift, and resolute" response without any constraints or inhibitions. "Any attempt to target our population centres, military bases, economic hubs and ports will instantly invoke a 'deeply hurting and more than reciprocal response'. The onus of escalation will squarely lie on the strategically blind arrogant aggressor, who fails to see the grave repercussions of such provocative actions against a sovereign nuclear state," he declared. Field Marshal Asim noted that India's inability to achieve its stated military objectives during its Operation Sindoor and the subsequent attempt to rationalise its shortfall through convoluted logic spoke volumes about its lack of operational readiness and strategic foresight. "Insinuations regarding external support in Pakistan's successful Operation Bunyanum Marsoos are irresponsible and factually incorrect and reflect a chronic reluctance to acknowledge indigenous capability and institutional resilience developed over decades of strategic prudence," he said. Operation Bunyanum Marsoos refers to Pakistan's thunderous military response on May 10 to India's Operation Sindoor that began with missile strikes in Pakistan on May 7, killing dozens of civilians, including women and children. Operation Bunyanum Marsoos hit India's 26 military targets. Last week, the deputy chief of the Indian army alleged that China gave Pakistan "live inputs" on key Indian positions during the four-day conflict. Lt-General Rahul Singh, however, did not elaborate how he received that information. Field Marshal Asim said that naming other states as participants in the "purely bilateral military conflagration was also a shoddy attempt at playing camp politics" and desperately trying that India remained the beneficiary of larger geopolitical contestation as the so-called net security provider in a region getting increasingly weary of its hegemonic and extremist Hindutva ideology. "In contrast to India's strategic behaviour resting on parochial self-alignment, Pakistan has forged lasting partnerships based on principled diplomacy, anchored in mutual respect and peace, establishing itself to be a stabiliser in the region," he added, according to the ISPR. "Wars are not won through media rhetoric, imported fancy hardware, or political sloganeering, but through faith, professional competence, operational clarity, institutional strength and national resolve," the army chief remarked. In the address, the army chief lauded the role of the premier institutions such as the NDU in enhancing civil-military synergy and nurturing future leadership capable of mitigating hybrid, conventional, and sub-conventional threats with poise and resolve. He concluded by expressing full confidence in the professionalism, morale, and readiness of the battle-hardened Armed Forces of Pakistan and urged the graduating officers to remain steadfast in the values of integrity, selfless service, and unwavering commitment to the nation.
