Stop funding terror if you want to stay on world map, Army Chief warns Pak

Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Friday warned Pakistan that if it wanted to retain its place on the world map, it must stop state-sponsored terrorism.

Speaking at an outpost along the India-Pakistan border in Anupgarh, Rajasthan, General Dwivedi said Indian forces would not show any restraint this time, hinting that a second version of Operation Sindoor would not be far if Islamabad refused to stop exporting terror.

“This time, we will not maintain the restraint that we had in Operation Sindoor 1.0. This time, we will do something that will make Pakistan think about whether it wants to retain its place on the world map or not. If Pakistan wants to retain its place, then it must stop state-sponsored terrorism,” he said.

Further, he asked Army and BSF personnel to stay prepared. “If the God wills, you’ll get an opportunity soon. All the best,” the General said. The Army Chief’s visit was to see the preparedness of the troops. His statement comes just a day after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh warned Pakistan of a “strong reply” if it dared to act in the disputed Sir Creek sector along the India-Pakistan border in Gujarat.

The minister said, “Pakistan’s recent expansion of military infrastructure in the sector reflects its ill intent... any misadventure in the sector will invite a decisive response.”

“If Pakistan dares to act in the sector, the reply will be so strong that it will change both history and geography,” he had added.

Operation Sindoor was undertaken by India to give a fitting reply in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. Nine terror camps were hit in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir by the Indian forces using long-range precision weapons on May 7. The attack on terror camps had brought the two countries to a near-war situation. A ceasefire followed on May 10 after Pakistani commanders called up their Indian counterparts, seeking an end to the offensive.

The Army Chief also honoured three officers for their exceptional work during Operation Sindoor. These were BSF’s 140th Battalion Commandant Prabhakar Singh, Army’s Major Ritesh Kumar and Havildar Mohit Gaira.