
State-sponsored terrorism part of India's policy to destabilise Pakistan: DG ISPR
In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera TV, the military spokesperson said India's support for terrorist activities is aimed at destabilising Pakistan's security, particularly in the volatile region of Balochistan.
"These nefarious designs of India are a systematic conspiracy to destabilise Pakistan, especially in Balochistan," he said. He added that India had admitted multiple times to supporting terrorism within Pakistan.
Lt Gen Chaudhry reiterated that Pakistan views any aggression against its sovereign territory as a direct threat to regional stability.
"India's political leadership has repeatedly admitted to supporting terrorism in Pakistan," said Gen Chaudhry, naming Ajit Doval, India's National Security Advisor, as the mastermind behind New Delhi's network of state-sponsored terrorism.
Read: Doval Doctrine: India's trail of terror
The military spokesperson also referred to the recent attack in Waziristan, claimed by the proscribed TTP, which martyred 16 Pakistani soldiers and injured over 20 others.
Pakistan has consistently maintained that India is directly involved in such attacks. "India is supporting and financing terrorist activities in Pakistan," reiterated Gen Chaudhry while speaking to Al Jazeera TV.
The term 'Khawarij' has been widely used by Pakistan's military and media recently to refer to armed groups that attack the state and its military forces.
These nefarious designs of India are a systematic conspiracy to destabilise Pakistan, especially in Balochistan.
ISPR DG Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry
'The current Fitna al-Khawarij is a continuation of the misguided ideology that has historically led to the killing of Muslims under a false religious narrative,' he said.
In Islam, only the state has the authority to wage holy war (jihad) or engage in combat, and no individual, organisation, or group has this power, he said.
Read More: COAS warns of crippling response to aggression
"The Khawarij have no relation to Islam, humanity, Pakistan, or Pakistani traditions," maintained Gen Chaudhry.
DG ISPR added that the term Fitna al-Hindustan was used in Pakistan to describe terrorists supported by India. 'Fitna al-Hindustan is particularly active in destabilising the country, especially in the province of Balochistan,' he said.
He emphasised that several countries, including the United States and Canada, have acknowledged Indian state-sponsored terrorism on their soil.
Referring to the country's nuclear capability, the senior army general maintained that Pakistan was a responsible and declared nuclear power and its nuclear program was completely secure. 'Our nuclear capability is invincible and no one can dare to target our nuclear programme,' he added.
The army spokesperson also spoke about broader geopolitical issues, reaffirming Pakistan's support for Iran in the face of Israeli aggression. 'Pakistan stands firmly with Iran in these challenging times.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Business Recorder
an hour ago
- Business Recorder
Pakistan eyes $1bn valuation in Roosevelt Hotel redevelopment plan, source says
KARACHI: Pakistan is seeking a valuation of at least $1 billion for the Roosevelt Hotel it owns in New York and is ready to part with a minority stake in the prime Manhattan property as it scouts for a redevelopment partner, a senior government official said. Named after former US President Theodore Roosevelt, the century-old property in midtown Manhattan is seen as one of Pakistan's most valuable foreign assets, which it acquired in 2000. Faced with mounting losses, the over 1,000 room hotel was shut in 2020, and has also operated briefly as a migrant shelter. As part of the government's $7 billion IMF-backed privatisation push, Pakistan's government approved a 'transaction structure for the Roosevelt Hotel' on Tuesday, saying it won't do an outright sale but has decided to adopt a joint venture model to maximize long-term value. It gave no further details. Roosevelt Hotel privatization: No base price determined: PC The senior Pakistani official said the government will retain ownership in the project through an equity partnership, but declined to disclose the size of the stake being offered to any potential JV partner. The official declined to be named since the process is confidential. JLL, or Jones Lang LaSalle, will run the process and the government is eyeing a valuation of over $1 billion for the 42,000 square feet property it hopes could be redeveloped for residential-cum-office use, the official said. 'It is among the best pieces of land in NY real estate … The process begins immediately and is expected to be completed in the next six-nine months,' said the official. Pakistan's Privatisation Ministry and state-owned Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), which owns the hotel through its investment arm, did not respond to request for comments, and neither did JLL. Pakistan this week also approved four parties to bid for a stake in debt-ridden PIA. The hotel is located near marquee New York destinations such as Grand Central Terminal, Times Square, and Fifth Avenue, placing it in one of Manhattan's most valuable commercial zones. Pakistan's government is estimating the redevelopment will take 4–5 years, the official said, adding the 'interest level is extremely high.' In June, the government said it expects $100 million in the initial payment from the joint-venture partnership by June 2026.


Express Tribune
7 hours ago
- Express Tribune
'Seeking conflict with N-power will be sheer stupidity'
Listen to article Pakistan's nuclear arsenal is fully secure, and invincible, the chief military spokesperson says, warning that seeking conflict with an established nuclear power for elusive objectives will be sheer stupidity. In an interview, Lt General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that India is involved in fomenting terrorism as part of an organised conspiracy to destabilise and disrupt security in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan. General Chaudhry, the director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), explained that the term Fitna al-Khawarij refers to armed groups that attack the armed forces and the state of Pakistan, while the term Fitna al-Hindustan is used to describe terrorists, who are supported by India. India's nefarious intentions are part of an organised conspiracy to destabilise and disrupt security in Pakistan, particularly in Balochistan, the DG ISPR told Al Jazeera TV in an exclusive interview. India had adopted state-sponsored terrorism as a policy against Pakistan, he added, while commenting on last month's bomb blast in Waziristan in which 16 soldiers embraced martyrdom, while over 20 people sustained injuries, according to Al Jazeera TV. The attack was claimed by Fitna al-Khawarij – a reference to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), he said. Pakistan has a clear stance that India is directly involved in these attacks, he added. "India is not only supporting but also financing terrorist activities in Pakistan." The ISPR chief explained that the term Khawarij referred to armed groups that attacked the armed forces and the state of Pakistan. "The current Fitna al-Khawarij is a continuation of the misguided ideology that has historically led to the killing of Muslims under a false religious narrative," he said. In Islam, the DG ISPR continued, the right to Jihad or armed conflict lies solely with the state — no individual, organisation, or group is authorized to declare it. "Fitna al-Khawarij has no connection with Islam, humanity, Pakistan, or Pakistani traditions," he said. Lt-General Chaudhry said that the term Fitna al-Hindustan was used in Pakistan to describe terrorists, who were supported by India. "Fitna al-Hindustan is particularly active in destabilising the country, especially in the province of Balochistan," he said. "Even India's political leadership has admitted multiple times to supporting terrorism within Pakistan," he said, adding that even the United States and Canada "have also acknowledged" Indian-state terrorism, he said. Lt-General Chaudhry pointed out that Ajit Doval, India's the national security adviser (NSA), was the mastermind behind the Indian state-sponsored terrorism network. He declared that any aggression against Pakistan would be a threat to regional stability. He made it clear that Pakistan was a responsible and declared nuclear power and its nuclear programme was completely secure. "Our nuclear capability is invincible and no one can dare to target our nuclear programme," he added. The chief military spokesperson also addressed broader geopolitical issues, reaffirming Pakistan's support for Iran. "In the context of the recent conflict, Pakistan's support for Iran has been entirely principled — based on the UN Charter, international law, and the laws of armed conflict," he said. When asked whether there was any concern in military that Pakistan could be the next target following recent developments in Iran, he denied such a notion. "Absolutely no concern whatsoever in the military that Pakistan can become the next target — absolutely no concern," he emphasised. He stated that there was a "sea of difference" between Pakistan and these two countries. "We are an established and declared nuclear power, and the world has no experience of going to — or even attempting to go into - a misadventure against an established nuclear power," he said. "If such a misadventure is taken or attempted, it will lead to horrific consequences which the world may not be able to endure. Hence, I have said it before and I will say it again very clearly - seeking military space or conflict space with an established nuclear power for elusive objectives is absurd, sheer stupidity, and inconvincible." (WITH INPUT FROM APP)


Express Tribune
8 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Bilawal urges Indian youth to reject hate, war rhetoric
Listen to article Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday urged the people of India to avoid falling prey to "disinformation and hate-mongering", stressing that it was easy for the current generation to talk about war. In an interview with Indian journalist Karan Thapar, the former Pakistan foreign minister categorically rejected India's claims of the country's involvement in any acts of terrorism, terming such allegations a mere propaganda. "I just want to tell the people of India that they must be, they must avoid disinformation and hate mongerers. It is easy for this generation to talk about war and tell you that every Pakistani is a terrorist, every Pakistani is your enemy; that is not true," he said. "Pakistan does not willingly permit groups you mentioned or any group to conduct terrorist attacks outside of Pakistan but also within Pakistan. We have, as you're well aware, faced the brunt of terrorism over the past many decades. Pakistan is and has been fighting the largest inland war against terrorism." While dilating on the issue of terrorism within the country, the PPP chairman recalled the immense toll the people have suffered. "We've lost 92,000 lives altogether. Just last year, we lost more than 1,200 civilian lives in over 200 different terrorist attacks." The PPP chief warned that the current rate at which terrorist attacks were taking place in different parts of the country in this year, "if they continue at this pace, it will be the bloodiest year in Pakistan's history". Bilawal acknowledged the emotional cost of the terrorism, saying, "I, too, am a victim of terrorism. I feel the pain of the victims of Pahalgam terrorist attack. I understand the trauma that their families are experiencing in a way more than many others can ever imagine." About Pakistan's efforts to combat terrorism, he noted the military actions taken in South Waziristan and later in North Waziristan over the years. "Most recently, we went through a rigorous FATF process with the international community endorsing Pakistan's actions against said terrorist groups," he stated. Bilawal emphasised that the Financial Action Task Force was a very rigorous process that had a complete monitoring mechanism. "So it's not like you can hide from it," he said, adding: "We implemented a National Action Plan as far as our actions against the groups of concern to India." Bilawal reiterated Pakistan's offer for an international probe into the Pahalgam attack in the Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), in which 26 tourists were killed on April 22. The incident also triggered a four-day military escalation with Pakistan from May 7-10. "Immediately after that accusation by the Indian government, the prime minister of Pakistan publicly stated that Pakistan is willing to be part of any impartial international inquiry into the incident because our hands are clean." However, he added, India rejected the offer. He stressed the need for cooperation between Pakistan and India on counter-terrorism, stating, "I'd like to see the day where India and Pakistan engage in comprehensive dialogue, which should also include the issue of terrorism, so we can collectively combat this menace." The PPP chairman recalled the 2007 Samjhota Express attack, where dozens of Pakistani citizens lost their lives on the Indian soil, questioning why there had been no convictions. "We can't ignore saffron terror on one side and then hold another standard by which Pakistan is judged," he said. Highlighting the role of India in fostering terrorism in Pakistan, he referred to the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav, an Indian spy arrested in Balochistan. "Most recently, the Jaffar Express attack can be directly linked to facilitators in your intelligence agency," he told the interviewer. Bilawal also raised concerns over India's plans to cut water supplies to Pakistan, calling Delhi's decision to hold the Indus Water Treaty into abeyance as a violation of humanitarian principles. "Indian Prime Minister and your government are threatening to cut off the water supply to 240 million people of Pakistan. This goes against everything it is to be Indian. It goes against the philosophy of Gandhi. It goes against all we've been taught about a secular India." Bilawal, who last month led a parliamentary delegation to several world capitals on a mission to debunk the Indian propaganda in the aftermath of the recent conflict, said that Operation Bunyanum Marsoos was launched in response to the Indian aggression. Despite these challenges, he reiterated Pakistan's desire for peace. "We want peace. We can talk together and sort out all our issues," he concluded. This was the first interview of a Pakistani politician by any Indian media outlet. In a tweet on X, Bilawal explained that he believed in the people of India, especially the youth and he was not afraid of putting "our case to the Indian public" via Indian media. "I chose to give an interview to Indian media, not because I expected a fair platform, but because I believe in the people of India, especially the youth. The case for peace in our region is not just a Pakistani cause, it is a shared mission for both our peoples. I believe the new generation of Indians and Pakistanis can chart a new destiny," he wrote. "We will be the generation that breaks the shackles of history, that defies the war-mongers, the cynics, and the peddlers of hate. Together, we will face the real challenges of our time together, from terrorism to climate change to inequality. This is my promise to the young people of both India and Pakistan: our future will be defined not by the conflicts of the past, but by a new destiny defined by peaceful co-existence, cooperation and prosperity."