Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Director General Lt Gen Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Friday strongly condemned India for targeting innocent civilians, including women and children, in its recent strikes on Pakistan, terming them blatant violations of international law and human rights.
Addressing a special media briefing for the international media in Rawalpindi, attended by Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Director General Public Relations Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb Ahmed and Naval Staff (Operations) Deputy Chief Vice Admiral Raja Rab Nawaz, the ISPR chief made it clear that Pakistan would protect its national dignity and sovereignty at all costs.
Lt Gen Chaudhry criticised the Indian response following the deadly Pahalgam incident in India-held Kashmir, where India swiftly pointed fingers at Pakistan without any credible evidence.
“India continues to engage in a smear campaign and baseless allegations while its own actions on the ground reflect aggression against unarmed civilians,” he said, adding that India celebrates the killing of innocent children.
“Pakistan is a peace-loving country, but our restraint should never be misunderstood as weakness,” the army spokesperson added. “We will respond to any provocation with full force, and our armed forces are fully prepared to safeguard the country’s freedom and dignity.”
The ISPR DG conveyed alleged questions from Kashmiris in the occupied valley who apparently asked how terrorists came and carried out attacks in the heavy presence of Indian occupation troops. He claimed that Indian politicians had raised serious questions about security after the Pahalgam incident and played videos of alleged confessions from previously arrested militants of how they were in contact with and supported by India.
The military spokesman also played video clips showing Indian citizens questioning the suspicious role of the Indian Army in Pahalgam, saying the Indian government and army had failed to answer serious questions of their own citizens.
"The Indian Army's retired official, General KS Gill, also raised questions about the Indian Army in occupied Kashmir," he claimed, and also quoted former governor of India-occupied Kashmir, Stay Pal Malik, as allegedly saying that the attacks in the region had been orchestrated to influence election results in India.
Lt Gen Chaudhry also presented alleged evidence of Indian involvement in acts of sabotage in Balochistan, saying India was backing banned terrorist organizations like the BLA and TTP, but was blaming Pakistan to divert attention from its internal crises. He also claimed that New Delhi has openly admitted to its involvement in sponsoring terrorist outfits like the BLA and TTP in Balochistan.
"India is involved in terrorist incidents around the world, including within Pakistan. We will never allow India's aggression. Pakistan is the last bulwark against terrorism emanating from and being sponsored by India," the ISPR DG claimed, and cited the alleged arrest of an Indian spy in Jhelum prior to the Pahalgam incident as evidence. "Electronic devices and explosives were recovered from the arrested Indian spy."
The military spokesman further said terrorist training camps were operating inside India, from where Indian intelligence agency officers were directing terrorists to carry out attacks on public places.
He further unveiled a series of serious allegations against New Delhi.
"Even mosques and the holy Quran have not been spared in Indian strikes," the DG said, adding that Pakistan, on the other hand, maintains a strict policy of never targeting civilians and focuses only on Indian military installations when responding to aggression. The ISPR chief noted that India’s military aggression is a desperate attempt to undermine Pakistan’s successful war on terrorism.
"Pakistan is giving a strong and continuous response to Indian provocations and will not tolerate any form of aggression under any circumstances," he insisted, criticising India’s internal policies, saying: "Indian authorities are spreading hate against minorities, especially Muslims, through state-sanctioned propaganda and policies. Religious bigotry has reached a dangerous level, with Hindu extremists comparing Muslims to animals, and attacks on Sikh places of worship, including a recent incident in Nankana Sahib, are deeply alarming. Attack on Sikh places of worship is unacceptable under any circumstances."
The ISPR DG said the Indian military continues to commit atrocities in Indian-occupied Kashmir, including demolishing homes and using violence against innocent civilians. "Pakistan strongly condemns India’s repression in the occupied valley, calling it a daily routine of brutality against Muslims."
On the issue of misinformation and media control, Lt Gen Chaudhry said: "India imposes restrictions on social media platforms whenever citizens or journalists begin questioning the government’s narrative or actions. After being unable to control dissent, the Indian state resorts to censorship to silence its critics."
The ISPR spokesperson also warned about India's technological aggression, saying: "India has started sending spy drones into Pakistani airspace. Not a single one has been allowed to return, as Pakistan’s defences remain on high alert and Pakistan will defend its sovereignty and integrity at all costs. Furthermore, India jeopardized the safety of thousands of passengers by interfering with civil aviation routes on the night of May 5–6."
Lt Gen Chaudhry reiterated that Pakistan is a responsible state that believes in peace but will defend its sovereignty, dignity, and people at all costs.
"Indian media needs to come out of its fictional narratives and confront the truth," he stated, claiming that Muslims in India are being openly threatened.
He further disclosed that a total of 33 Pakistani citizens have been martyred and 62 injured in recent Indian attacks, revealing: "India launched long-range missile attacks on Pakistan yesterday that endangered the lives of passengers aboard both Pakistani and international airlines. Several commercial aircraft were flying in Pakistani airspace at the time of India’s unprovoked aggression."
"In response, Pakistan only targeted Indian military installations, maintaining its principle of not harming civilians. India also used drones to attack religious places of worship," the ISPR chief stated.
He further lamented that the Indian high commissioner in the UK falsely accused the Imam who led funeral prayers of the victims of Indian attacks of having links with extremism. "India has become a hub for producing and spreading fake news," said Lt Gen Chaudhry.
Later, Air Vice Marshal Aurangzeb told the media that they intercepted an audio conversation of purportedly an Indian formation commander hearing an explosion mid-air during their operations against Pakistan. "The Indian Rafale squadron commander admitted that one of their aircraft was missing after the engagement.
The PAF official then played the monitored communications between Indian pilots.
