Islamabad: Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif declared on Friday that the country is fully prepared to respond to any aggression and will not succumb to foreign pressure.
Addressing the National Assembly, he assured the nation that Pakistan is “200 percent ready” to defend itself and emphasized that any retaliatory action would specifically target Indian military installations, not civilians.
Khawaja Asif criticized Indian media for spreading falsehoods, stating that New Delhi is attempting to pacify its public after suffering setbacks. "India won't admit to its people that it has been beaten on multiple fronts," he remarked.
He also underscored the growing alliance between India and Israel, calling it a “natural partnership” driven by what he termed shared hostility toward Islam. “Their enmity against Islam is no secret,” he added.
The minister highlighted Pakistan’s diplomatic efforts and international support, noting that close allies such as Türkiye and Azerbaijan have openly backed Pakistan. He also claimed that even India’s closest strategic partners have refrained from siding with it. “Our armed forces are strongly confronting the enemy along the Line of Control and at the borders,” he said.
Khawaja Asif confirmed that retaliatory military operations were already underway and that Pakistan was in daily contact with key global players, particularly Gulf nations. He noted regular communication between Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and leadership in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and China.
The Defence Minister called for intensifying diplomatic outreach and acknowledged that only a few countries have offered moderate support so far. However, he reaffirmed that Pakistan’s principal allies were standing with it "clearly and firmly."
Regarding recent drone incursions, Asif said these were attempts to identify sensitive Pakistani locations. "We didn’t intercept them initially to avoid revealing our positions. Once they came within range, they were shot down,” he explained.
He further asserted that Pakistan’s armed forces remain in strong strategic positions and are responding with bravery. He referred to religious seminaries and their students as a "secondary defensive line" in national defense.
Reiterating Pakistan’s firm stance, Khawaja Asif concluded: “We will decide the time and nature of our response. The nation should remain confident—our military is actively and bravely defending the homeland.”
