RAWALPINDI: The Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, has dismissed claims by the Indian military regarding the death of a retired Pakistani soldier. During a news conference in Rawalpindi, he presented the retired SSG Havildar alive, countering the Indian narrative.

According to Radio Pakistan, the Indian military had claimed on social media that it had killed a Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, who they identified as Muhammad Asif alias Hashim Musa, allegedly a member of Pakistan’s Special Services Group. Muhammad Asif, present at the conference, confirmed his retirement from the Pakistan Army in 2023 and expressed surprise at the news of his purported death.

Lieutenant General Chaudhry accused India of staging false flag operations and described these actions as attempts to divert attention from its own activities. He emphasized that India should provide evidence to support any allegations against Pakistan and stated Pakistan’s readiness to respond to any aggression.

Addressing regional security issues, Chaudhry underscored Pakistan’s policy of non-compromise on territorial integrity and highlighted its issues with the Afghan Taliban regime. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to regional security alliances, including the Makkah Alliance and the protection of Harmain al-Sharifain and Saudi Arabia.