Pakistan Rejects Indian Army Chief’s Remarks

In a stern warning to Pakistan, new Army Chief Gen Manoj Mukund Naravane on the 7th of January 2020 said India reserves the right to "preemptively strike" on Pakistan. He also said that the Indian Army will enhance combat capabilities along the border with China so that it is fully prepared to deal with any security challenge.

 

General Naravane, born 22 April 1960, hails from a Marathi family. His father is a former officer in the Indian Air Force and his mother Sudha was an announcer with the All India Radio. He has become the 28th Army Chief. He completed his schooling at the Jnana in Pune. And is an alumnus of National Defence Academy, Pune and Indian Military Academy, Dehradun. He also holds a master's degree in Defence Studies from the University of Madras, and an M.Phil., in Defence and Management Studies from Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore. He has also attended the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington and the Army War College, Mhow.

 

Naravane has commissioned into 7th Battalion The Sikh Light Infantry in June 1980. He has commanded the 2nd Battalion (SikhLi) of Rashtriya Rifles in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the 106 Infantry brigade. He has also commanded the Assam Rifles as Inspector General (North) in Kohima, Nagaland. He has served as the Indian Peace Keeping Force in Sri Lanka during Operation Pawan. He has also served as the Military attaché to Myanmar at Yangon. In addition, he served in an instructional appointment at the Army War College, Mhow as Directing Staff in the Higher Command Wing and two tenures at the Integrated Defence Staff Headquarters of Ministry of Defence, New Delhi. On promotion to the rank of Lieutenant General, he commanded the Ambala-based Kharga Strike Corps and served as the General Officer Commanding (GOC) Delhi Area. As GOC Delhi Area, he commanded the 2017 Republic Day Parade. After being promoted to Army Commander grade, Naravane served as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Army Training Command from 1 December 2017 to 30 September 2018. Later, he also served as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Command from 1 October 2018 to 31 August 2019. On 1st September 2019, he was appointed Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS).  On 16th December 2019 (Vijay Diwas eve) he was announced as the successor of General Rawat, who relinquished the office of COAS on 31st December 2019.

Looking at his professional career, it was not expected from him to give irresponsible hostile statements just after taking the charge of 1.3 million Indian Army. But, due to the politicization of the Army in India, he might have been compelled to show aggressiveness against its neighbors like Pakistan and China. Since the RSS backed Government is in power in India, the Army has been politicized and to climb-up or seek promotion, the individuals have to speak the language of politicians wanted. 

 

Pakistan rejects Indian military’s remarks against Pakistan, terms it ‘irresponsible rhetoric’. Pakistan’s COAS said on the 14th of January 2020, that Pakistan is one of the lead participants with significant contributions towards peace and stability efforts in the region and Pakistan’s armed forces will continue to play a positive role for regional peace without compromising national security and defend of the motherland at whatever cost. The Corps Commanders' Conference reviewed the geostrategic, regional and national security and discussed internal security, the situation along LoC and IoK.

 

Pakistan is a peace-loving nation and a mature state. Pakistan is a very responsible country and understands the consequences of escalation between India and Pakistan, especially when both countries are nuclear states and possess enough piles of lethal weapons to destroy each other completely. Pakistan is ruled by visionary leadership and complete harmony prevails in all institutions of Pakistan. While India is ruled by RSS terrorists, who was denied the visa by the US on alleged insolvent of terrorism in the state of Gujrat in 2002 when Modi was Chief Minister of the state. He was also denied entry to Europe on the same charges. With this scenario, Pakistan has to be more sensible.

 

However, Pakistan’s urge for “Peace” may not be considered as its weakness. Pakistan is capable to defend its existence and we have proved it on the 27th of February 2019. It is appealed to the International Community to take serious notice of Indian threats and ill-motives. Pakistan joins hands with all peace-loving nations and individuals anywhere in the world and keeps its struggle for peace stability and development positively.