Pak Defence Minister warns India against any future military conflict

Two days after Indian army chief warned Islamabad that it would be erased from the world map if it continued sponsoring terrorism, Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday cautioned New Delhi against any future military conflict, saying India would be "buried under the wreckage of its warplanes".

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 a 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. On Friday, Army Chief Gen Dwivedi said the neighbouring country should stop sponsoring terrorism on its soil if it wanted to retain its place on the world map.

The Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) also said the restraint shown by New Delhi during Operation Sindoor would not be repeated in case of a future military conflict. "India, as a country, is fully prepared this time. And this time, it will not show the restraint that it showed during Operation Sindoor 1.0. This time we will take a step forward and act in a manner that will make Pakistan think whether it wants to remain on the world map or not," General Dwivedi said.

Separately, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh on Friday said at least a dozen Pakistani military aircraft, including US-origin F-16 jets, were destroyed or damaged in Indian strikes during Operation Sindoor.