RAWALPINDI: Director General of Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor will address an important press conference on Friday (today). According to the army’s media wing, the DG ISPR will address the press conference at 3:00pm. He will remark on the significant national issues and persisting situation in the country. The press conference comes at a time when Pakistan and neighbouring India face heightened tensions after the Pulwama attack in the Indian Occupied Kashmir. The attack followed New Delhi's blaming of Islamabad for the incident, which was strongly denied by the Pakistani leadership. Earlier today, Prime Minister Imran Khan directed Pakistan Army to respond "decisively and comprehensively" to any aggression or misadventure by India. The prime minister issued the directives during a meeting of the National Security Committee, which discussed geo-strategic and national security environment, and situation arising after the Pulwama incident.<doc-sep>Pakistan Army spokesman says Islamabad has acted responsibly and urges India to pursue peace through dialogue Pakistan Army spokesman Major General Asif Ghafoor on Wednesday told a press conference that Pakistan wants peace and India needs to understand war offers no solutions to the current standoff. Confirming to journalists that the Pakistan Air Force had shot down two Indian aircraft inside Pakistani airspace, the Director General of the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) said six targets across the Line of Control had been engaged from within Pakistani airspace. He said the Indian actions of Feb. 26 had left the PAF with no choice but to respond. “Pakistan’s armed forces have the capability, will, resolve and nation’s support,” he said, “But as a responsible state that wants peace, we decided first of all that we won’t strike any military targets. “Secondly we decided that there be no loss of life or collateral damage in our choice of targets. Our planes locked targets and then opened fire responsibly from a safe distance,” he said. “We have the capability but we don’t want any escalation. We don’t want to go toward war,” he stressed. The Army spokesman said two Indian jets had entered Pakistani airspace after Pakistan’s strike and were shot down. “One fell in our space, another on their side. Two pilots were arrested. One of the pilots was injured and has been taken to CMH. He will be given proper care. Another is in our custody,” he added. He denied Indian media reports that a Pakistani F-16 jet had been shot down, adding that no F-16s were used today. “The state, government, armed forces and people of Pakistan have always conveyed a message of peace to India. The road to peace goes through dialogue,” he said. “The people of both countries and the region at large have a right to live in peace. War is not the solution to problems. India should think with a cool head on this offer from Pakistan.” He added: “Starting a war is easy, but where it ends, nobody knows.”<doc-sep>ISLAMABAD: Indian military aircraft violated the Line of Control (LoC) as they "intruded" from the Muzafarabad sector and were forced to return owing to the timely response of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Pakistan military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor said early Tuesday. "Indian aircraft intrusion across LoC in Muzafarabad Sector within AJK was 3-4 miles. Under forced hasty withdrawal aircraft released payload which had free fall in open area. No infrastructure got hit, no casualties. Technical details and other important information to follow," director general of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) wrote on Twitter. Earlier, Major General Ghafoor had said, the Indian aircraft "released payload in haste while escaping which fell near Balakot". Maj Gen Ghafoor tweeted images of the "payload of hastily escaping Indian aircraft" which "fell in [the] open". In his first tweet, DG ISPR had said, "Indian Air Force violated Line of Control. Pakistan Air Force immediately scrambled. Indian aircraft gone back. Details to follow." The incursion into the Pakistan air space follows a series of threats by Indian political and military leadership following the attack on an Indian Army convoy at Pulwama by a local youth, in reaction to the oppression unleashed by the occupational forces. Pakistan rejects Indian claim of targeting alleged terrorist camp near Balakot A meeting of the National Security Council (NSC) chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan rejected Indian claims of targeting an alleged terrorist camp near Balakot. The meeting, chaired by the premier in the wake of India's violation of the LoC, was attended by the top civil and military leadership, including Army Chief General Qamar Jawed Bajwa and ministers of defence and foreign affairs. A handout released after the NSC meeting stated the forum strongly rejected Indian claims of targeting an alleged terrorist camp near Balakot and the claim of heavy casualties. Once again Indian government has resorted to a self-serving, reckless and fictitious claim, the handout added. This action has been done for domestic consumption given the election environment, putting regional peace and stability at grave risk, the NSC said. The claimed area of strike is open for the world to see the facts on ground. Domestic and international media is being taken to the impact site, it added. The forum concluded that India has committed uncalled for aggression to which Pakistan shall respond at the time and place of its choosing. To take the nation on board, the govt has decided to requisition joint session of the Parliament, the handout released after the NSC meeting further stated. PM Imran has summoned a special meeting of National Command Authority (NCA) on February 27. PM has directed that elements of national power, including the Armed Forces and the people of Pakistan, to remain prepared for all eventualities. The premier has decided to engage with global leadership to expose irresponsible Indian policy in the region, the handout further read. PM further appreciated the timely and effective response of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) to repulse Indian attempt without any loss of life or property. Joint parliamentary session summoned Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan announced a joint parliamentary session has been summoned on the opposition's demand. "A joint parliamentary session will take place," the minister of state for parliamentary affairs said as he responded to the demand of the leaders of opposition parties on the floor of the National Assembly. "I will try that the session is summoned today even if it is at midnight." "I have just come from the national security committee meeting and I told the participants that the entire Parliament and nation are united," he added. As the National Assembly session resumed today, opposition leaders demanded that a joint parliamentary session be summoned. "We are in a state of war. The Parliament should sit together and decide," Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) senior leader Khursheed Shah said. Stating that "India wishes to exploit our internal differences and attack us," Shah said, "We have to show to India and the world that the entire nation is united." Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and former defence minister Khawaja Asif also took to the floor and seconded Shah's demand for a joint parliamentary session. The PML-N leader also called on all parties to "be united" and to show solidarity with the armed forces. "Our country, our sovereignty and our integrity are being threatened," Asif said. "It is not the time for political point-scoring and we should put aside our differences and unite the entire nation," he added. "We are standing behind our armed forces like an iron wall." "The entire nation will have to firmly issue a united response to India," the former defence minister asserted. "We should not hesitate to help Kashmiris." Criticising the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for inviting Indian foreign minister Sushma Swaraj as a "guest of honour" at the inaugural session of the foreign ministers' conclave in Abu Dhabi next month, Asif said, "Pakistan should boycott the OIC meeting." "It is an insult that our enemy is being invited as a guest of honour when Kashmiris are facing bloodshed," he stated. Former NA speaker and PML-N leader Ayaz Sadiq also called on the government to raise the issue of inviting Swaraj as "guest of honour" with OIC. "The organisation has no power to invite India without seeking the consent of member states," Sadiq said. Indian LoC violation: Opposition demands joint parliamentary session We have to show to India and the world that the entire nation is united, says Khursheed Shah Agreeing with the opposition’s demand for a joint parliament session, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf politician and former speaker Syed Fakhar Imam Shah said Pakistan has come at a crossroads where it has to decide whether to live with honour or otherwise. “Today, the future of my country is at stake. Today, the people of Pakistan have to decide to either live with honour, or live otherwise. And I am sure my country will decide to live with honour,” Imam said in his strongly-worded address on the floor of the National Assembly. “Now the time has come for Pakistan’s survival. This is nobody else’s war. This is Pakistan’s [war],” he said. The PTI leader noted with regret that India was being led by the war-mongering Narendra Modi. “India has had some great leaders. But unfortunately, Modi is their leader today,” he lamented, adding that the Hindutva’s mindset was exactly what Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah liberated the Muslims from when he founded Pakistan. 'Pakistan Armed Forces ready for befitting response' On Monday, DG ISPR had said, "Pakistan Armed Forces are fully prepared for a befitting response to any Indian aggression or misadventure". Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa had visited the Air Headquarters a day earlier and "deliberated on operational environment including threat and response" with the Chief of Air Staff (CAS), according to Maj Gen Ghafoor. "Both chiefs expressed satisfaction on readiness, coordination and synergy. Pakistan Armed Forces are fully prepared for a befitting response to any Indian aggression or misadventure," he had said. General Bajwa, who also visited Headquarters Rawalpindi Corps, was updated by the Commander there "on operational situation & state of readiness along Line of Actual Contact (LAC), Line of Control and Working Boundary (WB)." "COAS expressed satisfaction on the state of preparations & readiness," Maior General Ghafoor had tweeted. Prior to that, on Sunday, Gen Bajwa had visited troops along the working boundary near Sialkot and had said there was nothing more sacred than defending the motherland. “I take pride in leading an Army which is ever ready to perform this duty,” the Army chief had stated. On the same day, Air chief Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan had said the PAF was always ready to fight any act of aggression as per the nation’s expectations. A PAF spokesperson had said the air chief visited the forward operating bases, where he interacted with the crew as well. Air Marshal Khan had said Pakistan was a peace-loving nation but if war is imposed on them, then they know how to protect borders.<doc-sep>
Amid escalating tensions, Pakistan Army on Wednesday said it does not want a war with India as it is not a solution to problems. "The road to peace goes through dialogue. Both countries have the capability and capacity but war is the failure of policy which India needs to understand," Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Asif Ghafoor said at a press conference here. His comments came after the Pakistani jets violated the Indian air space and dropped some bombs in Rajouri sector of Jammu and Kashmir, a day after the Indian Air Force carried out a strike at Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) terror camp in Balakot. "We do not want to escalate this and want to follow a path which leads to peace. The people of both countries and region have a right to live peacefully. War is not the solution to problems. India should think with a cool mind on this offer from Pakistan," Gafoor said. "Our message is for peace. Starting a war is easy, but where it will end, nobody knows," he added, while underlining the need for moving towards peace. "Pakistan's Armed Forces (PAF) have capability, will and people's support. But because we are a responsible nation and want peace, we decided that, first of all, we will not take any military targets and secondly, we decided that there will be no loss of life or collateral damage in our engaging of targets. Our forces locked the targets, then in open air carried out the strikes," he added. "Pakistan's response is not a retaliation per se, but a demonstration of our capability, responsibility and will. It is now up to India whether they go towards peace. But if forced, we will respond," the spokesman said. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)