Pakistan army chief warns India not to beat war drum

Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, Pakistan Chief of Army Staff visited, on Wednesday., Line of Control (LOC) in Kashmir, and met with Pakistani troops. (Photo courtesy: ISPR)

• Border skirmishes at LoC continue between rivals
• Pakistan claims ‘Indian terrorism’ following Balochistan arrest

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army chief warned India not to make “provocative statements” and reminded New Delhi of cease-fire violations.
The army’s publicity unit quoted Qamar Javed Bajwa as he was visiting the de facto border between Pakistan and India in Kashmir on Wednesday. 
Pakistan’s army was a professional and combat-hardened army, ready to defend its motherland, according to Bajwa.
“It would be better if they (India) realize this and place their stock in peace and progress through dialogue,” he was quoted as saying.
His remarks follow comments from India’s army chief Bipin Rawat, who said Pakistan’s continued support for cross-border terror activity targeting Indian-held territory could force his country to take action. 
He accused the Pakistani army of firing across the border to distract Indian forces so terrorists could infiltrate the disputed Kashmir region. 
Rawat warned: “If you carry out such acts, we will not hesitate to cross the border and destroy terror camps. But if the messaging did not have the desired effect, then it’s time to raise the ante,” he said, referring to controversial military strikes against Pakistan in 2016.
“This is just (repeat) Indian drum beating,” said Khalid Muhammad from security consultancy Command Eleven, “nothing more than that. Rawat’s term is coming to an end and he’s pro (Narendra) Modi. He is ramping up pressure against Pakistan (for Modi) to win in the upcoming Indian elections.” 
Modi hopes to secure a second term in office and “he cannot afford to lose the vote of Hindu nationalists and when he focuses on them, he needs” to toe an “anti-Muslim, anti-Pakistan” narrative Dr. Zafar Jaspal told Arab News.
Islamabad has countered Indian accusations of state-sponsored terrorism, calling them a “smear campaign against Pakistan and the deliberate creation of war hysteria.” 
Foreign ministry spokesman Dr. Muhammed Faisal said “the presence of (Indian) Commander Kulbhushan Jadhav having been caught red-handed in Balochistan” was “ample evidence” of Indian terrorism.