Don’t Mistake Our Desire For Peace as Weakness: Pak To Gen Rawat

General Rawat had said that India must avenge Pakistan’s “barbaric acts”.

Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat (left) and Major General Asif Ghafoor (right). 

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Responding to Indian Army chief General Bipin Rawat remark that it was time to avenge Pakistan’s “barbarism”, the country’s Major General Asif Ghafoor, the director general (DG) of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said they were ready to respond to any external aggression.

Referring to Pakistan’s nuclear capability, General Ghafoor on Saturday, 22 September, retorted that his country’s desire for peace should not be mistaken for weakness.

Maj Gen Ghafoor told Geo News that Pakistan had responded positively to peace initiatives.

“War is never a solution to any problem. Pakistan has always positively responded to all peace initiatives.”

‘Time to Avenge Pak’s Barbarism’

Rawat had earlier asserted that India was not going to negotiate with Pakistan while the neighbouring country continued to “inadequately deal with the terror outfits functioning within it,” and added that it was time to “give it back to them in the same coin,” but without resorting to Pakistan’s “barbarism.”

“We need to take stern action to avenge the barbarism that terrorists and the Pakistan Army have been carrying out. Yes, it’s time to give it back to them in the same coin, not resorting to similar kind of barbarism. But I think the other side must also feel the same pain.”

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat

General Rawat’s statement comes in response to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s tweet earlier in the day, where he announced that he was “disappointed” at India’s “arrogant and negative” response to offers of resuming peace talks between the two countries.

On India-Pakistan Talks

“I think our government's policy has been quite clear and concise. We've made no bones about the fact that talks and terrorism can't go hand in hand,” Rawat said, shortly after Khan’s tweet.

Speaking to ANI, he said: “They (Pakistan) keep saying that they won't let their soil be used for terrorist activities against other nation. But we can see that terrorist activities are taking place and terrorists are coming from across the border.”

India had recently rescinded its offer of a dialogue citing the brutal murder of security personnel in J&K by terrorists.

“Only the government can decide if talks should be held in such an environment and I think government has taken the right decision that terrorism and peace talks can not be held together,” he said.

We continuously need modern weapons. There is a limit till which we can use a particular weapon, and as new technologies come, we also want them to be included in our forces; so buying of weapons continue.

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat

Distancing himself from the Rafale controversy, General Rawat said that modern weapons and warfare were the need of every force. “The delay in the composition is not good for the forces,” he said.

He also said that the forces were getting absolute freedom to carry out operations. On being asked about Army being used in political campaigns, the Army Chief said:

I don’t want to comment on political issues. But I’ll like to say that we’re getting full cooperation. We’re given freedom on how to carry out our operations. And you can see its effect in Kashmir and the Northeast.

Army Chief General Bipin Rawat

(Inputs from ANI, Geo News)