Pakistan’s new army chief says soldiers are ready to defend the country if attacked during a visit to the Line of Control, which divides the disputed Kashmir region.

“Let me state unequivocally that the Pakistani armed forces are fully prepared, not only to defend every square inch of our motherland, but to leave the fight to the enemy if war is forced upon us,” Lieutenant General Asim Munir. Saturday. According to a statement released by the media wing of the Army.

He said, “The Indian state will not be able to achieve its heinous designs.

India’s foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Munir made the visit days after taking command of the powerful Pakistani army.

Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said in late October that New Delhi was ready to join Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan’s semi-autonomous region. India claims that Gilgit-Baltistan is part of Kashmir and illegally occupied by Pakistan.

Islamabad called Singh’s statement “ridiculous” and said he represented New Delhi’s expansionist mentality and the animosity of its neighbours.

The two South Asian nuclear powers claim all of Kashmir but control only parts of it. They fought two of their three wars in the Himalayan region.

The two sides frequently accuse each other of violating a 2003 ceasefire by shooting and shooting across the Line of Control, the 740-kilometer de facto border that divides Kashmir in two. Since early 2021, the Line of Control has been generally calm following a new truce.

Analysts say Pakistan’s generals retain strong influence over security and foreign affairs.

“Strong rhetoric about India expected as new president wants to set a strong tone,” tweeted South Asia specialist Michael Kugelman.

But he said it was “still remarkable, considering the public message about India was rather weak during the last period of Bajwa’s tenure as army chief”, referring to General Qamar Javed Bajwa, who retired last week.