Rawalpindi, May 15, 2025: In a stark warning amid a fragile ceasefire, Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (DG ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry cautioned that any violation by India would provoke a “swift and assured response” from Pakistan. Speaking in an interview with Sky News, the military spokesperson underscored that continued provocation could trigger mutual destruction, reiterating the risks of nuclear escalation in South Asia.
“Anyone who tries to violate our territory, integrity, or sovereignty—our response will be brutal,” Gen Chaudhry asserted.
The warning follows over a week of heightened hostilities after India launched air strikes on Pakistani territory between May 6 and 7, accusing Islamabad of involvement in the April 22 Pahalgam attack in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK). The strikes resulted in the deaths of 40 Pakistani civilians, including seven women and 15 children, and injured 121 others, according to official figures.
In the days that followed, missile exchanges escalated tensions, prompting urgent international mediation. U.S. President Donald Trump announced a ceasefire on May 10, which has since been extended until May 18, according to Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar.
In the Sky News interview, Lt Gen Chaudhry said India was “rooting for war” and playing a dangerous game with global consequences.
“This is a recipe for mutual destruction. Any sane player like the USA understands this absurdity and what the Indians are trying to do here,” he said.
Referring to the doctrine of mutually assured destruction (MAD), Gen Chaudhry stressed that a full-scale nuclear conflict would destroy both sides, and endanger more than 1.6 billion people in the region.
“There is no space for war between India and Pakistan,” he warned. “A serious escalation would lead to catastrophe.”
Reiterating Pakistan’s position on Kashmir, DG ISPR accused India of attempting to “internalise the Kashmir issue” and suppress the will of the Kashmiri people.
“India is harassing Kashmiris with heavy troop deployment. This is a problem that must be resolved as per UN Security Council resolutions, with the will of the Kashmiri people at its centre,” he stated.
Last week, during a press conference held after the U.S.-brokered ceasefire, Gen Chaudhry had also appealed to the international community, warning that the recent conflict had brought South Asia to the brink.
