In a rare and pointed warning, Pakistan’s military has stated that any future misadventure by India will be met with a strong and expanded military response, beginning with strikes deeper into Indian territory.
The remarks, made by the Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) in an interview with The Economist, come amid rising regional tensions and shifting global alliances.
“We’ll start from the East,” said Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, responding to questions about how Pakistan would react to another Indian military strike. “They also need to understand that they can be hit everywhere.”
The statement is the most explicit warning issued by Pakistan’s military since a brief but serious flare-up with India earlier this year, triggered by a terrorist attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Kashmir.
While Pakistan has denied any involvement in the attack, the subsequent exchange of air strikes pushed the two nuclear-armed rivals to the brink.
The military’s tough stance is being interpreted as part of a broader shift in Pakistan’s strategic posture under Field Marshal Asim Munir, the current Chief of Army Staff.
The field marshal’s popularity has grown in the aftermath of the India conflict, and his firm response is seen as a break from his predecessor’s preference for quiet diplomacy.
The DG ISPR’s comments come as the geopolitical landscape begins to tilt. After years of strained ties with the United States, Pakistan appears to be rebuilding its relationship with Washington — much to India’s discomfort.
A surprise lunch meeting between Field Marshal Munir and former U.S. President Donald Trump in June, followed by Trump’s recent harsh comments on India’s economy and imposition of tariffs, have raised eyebrows in New Delhi.
As Pakistan seeks to reset its ties with global powers — including potentially resuming arms purchases from the U.S. — the DG ISPR’s bold rhetoric underscores the risks of another conflict in South Asia.
The warning to “strike East” serves not only as a deterrent to India but also as a signal to the international community that Pakistan is prepared to respond decisively to any provocation.
