Pakistan authorises military to respond to “any aggression or misadventure” by India

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday authorised the military to “respond decisively and comprehensively to any aggression or misadventure” by India, amidst heightened tensions between the two sides following the Pulwama terror attack that killed 40 CRPF soldiers.

Prime Minister Khan, who chaired a key meeting of the National Security Council on Thursday, said the Pakistan government was “determined to demonstrate” that it is capable of protecting its people.

The meeting was attended by Army chief General Bajwa, services chiefs, heads of intelligence agencies, security officials and federal and state ministers for finance, defence, foreign affairs and interior.

PM Khan authorised the armed forces of Pakistan to “respond decisively and comprehensively to any aggression or misadventure by India,” said a statement issued after the meeting.

“Pakistan is not involved in any way, means or form in Pulwama incident and it was conceived, planned and executed indigenously”, said the statement.

Pakistan has also banned the 2008 Mumbai attack mastermind Hafiz Saeed-led Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and its charity wing Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation.

“This is a new Pakistan and we are determined to demonstrate to our people that the State is capable of protecting them,” Khan was quoted as saying by the Radio Pakistan.

Pakistan rejected the Indian charges of playing a role in the Pulwama terror attack and maintains the militant group has long been outlawed as part of counter-extremism measures.

India has severed already-limited trade links with Pakistan and suspended the only bus service for divided Kashmiri families in the Himalayan region, which has caused two of the three wars between the two countries.