MILITARY

Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir has categorically rejected India’s recent accusations that China provided real-time intelligence to Pakistan during Operation Bunyanum Marsoos, calling the claims “irresponsible and factually incorrect.”
His remarks came amid rising tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, which had recently flared up following the Pahalgam attack on April 22, blamed on Pakistan by New Delhi without providing evidence. The tensions escalated into a week-long exchange of missiles and air strikes starting on the night of May 6–7, ending only after a US-brokered ceasefire.
Speaking at the National Defence University (NDU) in Islamabad, COAS Munir refuted the statement by Indian Army Deputy Chief Lt Gen Rahul Singh, who alleged that China provided “live inputs” to Islamabad on Indian military positions.
“Insinuations regarding external support in Pakistan’s successful Operation Bunyanum Marsoos are irresponsible and factually incorrect and reflect a chronic reluctance to acknowledge indigenous capability and institutional resilience,” Munir said, according to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).
He further stated that India’s failure in achieving its objectives during Operation Sindoor showcased its lack of strategic foresight and operational readiness.
➤ Pakistan’s Strategic Restraint vs India’s Camp Politics
COAS Munir criticized India for dragging third-party states into a bilateral military confrontation in a bid to exploit geopolitical rivalry for strategic gains.
“Naming other states as participants in the purely bilateral military conflagration is also a shoddy attempt at playing camp politics… in a region increasingly weary of India’s hegemonic and extremist Hindutva ideology,” the statement said.
Munir emphasized that Pakistan’s partnerships are grounded in principled diplomacy and mutual respect, portraying Pakistan as a stabilizing force in South Asia, as opposed to India’s self-serving regional posture.
➤ Strong Warning Against Future Aggression
The army chief delivered a stern warning to India and any future aggressors:
“Any attempt to target our population centres, military bases, economic hubs and ports will instantly invoke a ‘deeply hurting and more than reciprocal response’. The onus of escalation will lie on the arrogant aggressor.”
He underscored that wars are not won through political sloganeering or imported hardware, but through faith, institutional strength, and national resolve.
➤ Message to Future Officers
COAS Munir praised the professionalism of Pakistan’s armed forces and encouraged the graduating officers at NDU to uphold values of integrity, service, and commitment to the nation.