Islamabad — The Pakistan Army on Wednesday issued a strong rebuttal to Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi’s recent remarks, labeling Pakistan as the “epicentre of terrorism.”
In a statement released by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military condemned the allegations, urging Indian officials to refrain from “indulging in self-delusion” and instead address the realities on the ground.
The remarks from General Dwivedi, made during a press conference ahead of India’s Army Day, claimed that 60 percent of the militants killed in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK) in 2024 were of Pakistani origin, with 80 percent of the remaining fighters allegedly sharing the same roots.
Pakistan’s Strong Response
The ISPR described the allegations as “contrary to facts” and “an exercise in futility to beat the dead horse of India’s default position — blaming Pakistan for indigenous reactions to state-sponsored brutality.”
The statement accused India of attempting to divert global attention from its own alleged transgressions, including:
- Brutal repression in IOJK.
- Widespread discrimination and violence against minorities.
- Trans-national human rights violations.
Highlighting General Dwivedi’s tenure in IOJK, the ISPR claimed he had personally overseen severe repression of Kashmiris, terming his statements as reflective of the “extreme politicisation of the Indian Army.”
International Accountability
The military also pointed to global awareness of India’s domestic and trans-national actions, such as alleged hate-speech events provoking genocide, the targeting of minorities, and the use of excessive force against unarmed civilians in IOJK.
“This oppression has only strengthened the resolve of Kashmiris for their UN-enshrined right to self-determination,” the statement asserted.
Kulbhushan Jadhav Reference
To counter the claims of terror infrastructure, the statement highlighted the 2016 arrest of Indian naval officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who confessed to orchestrating acts of terrorism in Pakistan.
“The sobering fact that a senior serving Indian military officer is in Pakistan’s custody, caught red-handed, seems to have been conveniently ignored,” the ISPR said.
Call for Professionalism
The statement concluded with a call for professionalism and civility, urging the Indian military leadership to prioritize constructive state-to-state relations over politically motivated rhetoric.
“Pakistan empathises with the victims of the Indian Army’s brutality,” the ISPR said, expressing hope for a shift toward constructive dialogue guided by international norms.
