Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Sunday reacted sharply to Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi’s “erase from the map” remarks, warning that India “will be buried under the debris of its planes.”
This comes after India had previously stated that its forces could “cross any border” if needed. In apparent retaliation, Asif reiterated Pakistan’s claim of downing six Indian fighter jets during Operation Sindoor — a claim New Delhi has consistently denied.
“The statements of the Indian military and political leadership are a failed attempt to restore their tarnished reputation. After such a decisive defeat with a score of 0-6, if they try again, the score, God willing, will be far better than before,” Asif posted on X.
Calling the Pakistan army “Allah’s soldiers,” the defence minister added that India “will be buried in the debris of its own planes.” He criticised India’s government, stating that public opinion in India had turned against them following the alleged defeat and loss of credibility for Prime Minister Modi and his leadership.
India’s warning to Pakistan
On Friday, General Dwivedi urged Pakistan to stop sponsoring terrorism “if it wants to retain its place on the world map.” A day earlier, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had emphasised that India “can cross any border whenever necessary” to protect itself.
The Indian Air Chief Marshal, AP Singh, also stated that at least a dozen Pakistani military aircraft, including US-bought F-16 jets, were destroyed or damaged during Operation Sindoor in May, conducted in retaliation for the terror attack in Pahalgam, Kashmir.
General Dwivedi further warned that the restraint shown during Operation Sindoor would not be repeated in any future conflict and urged Indian soldiers to remain poised for action.
Pakistan Army reacts
In response, the Pakistan Army described India’s statements as “delusional, provocative and jingoistic.” According to PTI, the army warned that any fresh hostilities “might lead to cataclysmic devastation,” asserting that Pakistan would respond decisively and without restraint if a new round of conflict is triggered.
