By Staff Reporter
RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s military leadership on Thursday accused India of intensifying a “nefarious agenda” through proxy groups following its defeat in a brief but fierce war earlier this year, vowing “decisive and holistic actions” to counter the threat.
The pledge came during the 271st Corps Commanders’ Conference, held at General Headquarters in Rawalpindi and chaired by Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, as tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors remain high.
The escalation traces back to an attack on tourists in the Pahalgam region of occupied Kashmir on April 22, which India blamed on Pakistan without evidence. That accusation triggered a rapid spiral into conflict, with India launching air strikes on May 6–7 that killed civilians, followed by a week-long exchange of missile fire.
A US-brokered ceasefire halted the fighting within 90 hours, but Pakistan contends that India has since turned to terrorist proxies to destabilise the country.
Field Marshal Munir, addressing the conference, pointed to India’s alleged shift in strategy after its battlefield setback. “Following its manifest defeat in direct aggression against Pakistan, post-Pahalgam incident, India is now doubling down to further its nefarious agenda through its proxies of Fitna-al-Khawarij and Fitna-al-Hindustan,” he said, according to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media arm.
Pakistan has coined specific terms to describe these alleged Indian-backed groups. Last July, the government designated the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan as “Fitna-al-Khawarij,” mandating the use of “khariji” (outcast) for its members to underscore their role in terrorist attacks. In May, amid the conflict with India, all terrorist organizations in Balochistan were labeled “Fitna-al-Hindustan,” a phrase aimed at framing India’s involvement as a deliberate destabilization tactic.
On Wednesday, Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, the ISPR director general, accused Indian National Security Adviser Ajit Doval of orchestrating this terrorism campaign.
“Taking stock of recent successes against terrorist proxies, the forum resolved that the blood of our Shuhada will not go to waste and the safety and security of people of Pakistan remain top-most priority for the Armed Forces of Pakistan, the ISPR statement said.
The conference also took aim at what Pakistan sees as India’s efforts to deflect blame for its military loss. Last week, India’s deputy army chief claimed China had provided Pakistan with “live inputs” on Indian positions during the May conflict, an assertion Munir dismissed as baseless.
“Invoking third parties in what is unmistakably a bilateral military confrontation reflects a disingenuous attempt at bloc politics aimed at falsely projecting India’s self-assigned role as a net security provider to accrue benefits in a region that is visibly growing disillusioned with Indian hegemonic ambitions and Hindutva-driven extremism,” he said.
Beyond the India-Pakistan rivalry, the military brass reviewed broader security dynamics, with a focus on the Middle East and Iran. The ISPR highlighted a “growing propensity for ‘use of force’ as a preferred policy tool,” a trend Munir said necessitated “persistent development of self-reliant capabilities as well as national unity and resolve.”
Amid these tensions, Pakistan has leaned into diplomacy. Munir briefed the conference on “proactive and successful” visits alongside Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Iran, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
He also detailed his “historic and unique” trip to the United States, where he met top officials to present Pakistan’s perspective on bilateral and regional issues. “Meetings with top-tier leadership afforded an opportunity to share, first hand, Pakistan’s objective perspective on bilateral, regional and extra-regional developments,” the ISPR said.
The conference underscored Pakistan’s military preparedness, with Munir expressing “full confidence in the operational readiness of Pakistan Army against complete threat spectrum.” The forum was briefed on the army’s adaptation to the “evolving threat spectrum and changing character of war,” while the army chief praised the Pakistan Navy and Air Force for bolstering inter-service coordination.
“The Pakistan Army’s top brass has reiterated its vow to take decisive and holistic actions at all levels against the Indian backed and sponsored proxies.”
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