(Abdul Basit Alvi)
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations, addressed accusations of Indian-sponsored terrorism, Pakistan’s support for regional states facing aggression, and its fight against domestic militancy, saying Pakistan has no anxiety about potential external aggression—even if conflict erupted with Iran amid Middle East tensions—because of its strategic position as a nuclear-armed state; he warned that direct large-scale aggression against a nuclear power would be a “very foolish and unthinkable act,” explaining that Pakistan’s nuclear capability follows the doctrine of credible minimum deterrence, meant not for expansion but to protect sovereignty and raise the cost of aggression beyond acceptable limits, stressing deterrence depends on assured capability and national resolve rather than actual use, which would be catastrophic failure, and noting his remarks were widely supported across Pakistan as evidence of national unity strengthening deterrence. This confidence was linked to Pakistan’s demonstrated military capability while facing simultaneous tensions with India in the east and instability along the border with Afghanistan in the west, with crisis-level tensions sometimes referred to as “Operation Sindoor” presented as proof that attempts to pressure Pakistan through conventional threats or limited war under a nuclear umbrella would fail, as the Pakistan Air Force was described as defending national airspace despite India’s larger resources; at the same time Pakistan is combating cross-border militancy linked to Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (called Fitna al-Khawarij) allegedly operating from Afghan territory, prompting “Operation Ghazab lil-Haq” against militant hideouts, with officials reporting losses among militants and hostile forces and emphasizing Pakistan’s conventional superiority, including aircraft such as the JF-17 Thunder and F-16 Fighting Falcon, armored forces, and integrated air defense, while Afghanistan lacks a functional air force—an asymmetry also noted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies. Chaudhry also alleged extensive Indian involvement in destabilizing Pakistan through proxies he called “Fitna al-Hindustan,” allegedly backed by India’s intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing and directed by Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to foment violence particularly in Balochistan, and by raising these accusations internationally Pakistan aims to highlight hybrid warfare while maintaining diplomacy, reaffirming political and moral support for Iran against perceived Israeli aggression and stressing the interconnected stability of South Asia and the Middle East, while Pakistan’s ambassador to Russia, Faisal Niyaz Tirmizi, said Islamabad prefers dialogue and de-escalation but will respond decisively if cross-border terrorism from Afghan territory continues.
In remarks to Al Jazeera, Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations, delivered a message portraying Pakistan’s approach to sovereignty, deterrence, and national survival as measured, confident, and defensive rather than aggressive or expansionist, emphasizing that Pakistan’s status as a nuclear power provides the ultimate guarantee of security by deterring aggression without requiring the use of such weapons; he argued that nuclear capability fundamentally changes the calculus of war because any adversary must consider the risk of unacceptable, potentially civilization-ending retaliation, transforming Pakistan from a state that could be coerced through conventional superiority into an equal power center whose sovereignty must be respected. By describing a direct clash with a nuclear power as a “foolish and unthinkable act,” he framed the statement not merely as a warning but as a rational appeal for peace through strength, asserting that Pakistan’s independence, territorial integrity, and strategic autonomy are protected by nuclear deterrence and the firm resolve of its roughly 250 million citizens, while the strong national support for his remarks reflects a broad, conscious endorsement of the country’s defense doctrine, which supporters believe has preserved Pakistan’s security and sovereignty despite the volatile geopolitical environment surrounding it and will continue to do so against future threats from any direction.
