ISLAMABAD: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday warned India against any future military conflict with Pakistan, saying a befitting response would be given in case of such hostilities, reported PTI.
Asif's response came days after India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi cautioned Pakistan against any misadventure.
Asif took to social media to respond sharply to what he called provocative statements from New Delhi's top security establishment.
He termed some recent statements by Indian military and political leaders as a "failed attempt" to restore their lost credibility, which in his words was result of “pressure” after defeat in the May clashes.
“The statements of the Indian military and political leadership are a failed attempt to restore their tarnished reputation. After such a decisive defeat with a score of 0-6, if they try again, the score, God willing, will be far better than before,” he wrote.
He, however, did not elaborate what he meant by score of 0-6.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday had warned Pakistan that any misadventure in the Sir Creek sector would trigger a “decisive response” capable of changing both “history and geography.”
Addressing troops at Bhuj Military Station on Vijayadashami, he highlighted India’s heightened military preparedness along the border, citing the success of Operation Sindoor in exposing Pakistan’s air defence weaknesses while maintaining restraint.
Meanwhile, Indian Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi also on Friday warned Pakistan to halt state-sponsored terrorism or risk erasing its place in history and geography.
Speaking in Rajasthan, he recalled the precision strikes carried out during Operation Sindoor 1.0 on May 7, which targeted terror launchpads in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and deep inside Pakistan in retaliation for the Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians.
Dwivedi said India showed restraint by avoiding civilian or military casualties while eliminating terrorist hideouts and presenting evidence of the strikes internationally. He instructed troops to remain fully prepared, hinting at another opportunity for decisive action if provoked, and stated that any future response could be so forceful that Pakistan might have to “rethink whether it wants a place in history and geography.”
Earlier on the same day, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh had said that at least a dozen Pakistani military aircraft including US-origin F-16 jets were destroyed or damaged in Indian strikes during Operation Sindoor.
He said Operation Sindoor was launched with a clear and limited objective and terminated promptly once those aims were achieved. He said the strikes inflicted extensive damage on Pakistan’s airfields, aircraft including F-16s and JF-17s, radars, command centres, runways, hangars, and a high-value airborne platform, while minimising civilian or military collateral.
Dismissing Pakistan’s claims of shooting down Indian jets as “manohar kahaniyan” (fictional tales), Singh highlighted India’s long-range strike capabilities, the role of newly inducted missile systems, and accurate targeting of terror hideouts. He also credited the media for curbing disinformation and outlined plans under Roadmap 2047 to expand IAF combat strength, including the development of the Sudarshan Chakra air defence system and potential additional S-400 missile procurements.
Earlier on Saturday, the Pakistan Army had issued an official response to the remarks by Indian military and political leaders, accusing India of making “delusional, provocative and jingoistic statements” that risk fabricating “arbitrary pretexts for aggression.”
The statement warned a future conflict could bring “cataclysmic devastation” and said Pakistan would “resolutely respond, without any qualms or restraint.”
It added that Islamabad has adopted a “new normal of response,” “swift, decisive and destructive,” and claimed the armed forces can take the fight “to every nook and corner of the enemy’s territory.”
Responding to talk of “erasing Pakistan from the map,” the army said any such outcome would be mutual. The statement said that earlier Indian strikes in reposnse to the Pahalgam terror attack this year had already brought the two nuclear-armed neighbours close to "a major war."