Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor is addressing a press conference at the General Headquarters.
He is speaking about the recent tensions with India and the security situation in the country.
At the start of the presser, Maj Gen Ghafoor said India had accused Pakistan of being behind the Pulwama attack in occupied Kashmir, but that Pakistan had denied the same.
"We told them we were not involved. India then violated our airspace, we then gave the ultimatum that we will respond when we see fit, just like the PM said.
"Two months have passed since and India has told countless lies on the matter. We have not responded to the lies, not because we can’t, but because we don’t want to retaliate.
"International media came to Pakistan, we told them that they should go to the place and see for themselves what had happened.
"India had said that 300 people had died in their attack [in Balakot]. Then they said that they had used a small-scale missile that bore a tiny hole in the ceiling of the building and then exploded inside. We again offered to show your own [Indian] media the site."
"We downed two Indian planes in the process, the whole world saw their debris and you [India] still claimed that one of the two planes was ours and one of our own pilots died, as we had initially said that two Indian pilots had been captured, and then said that there was only one. You [India] said that we have changed our statement because one pilot was our own.
"We got initial information through the proper channel, then on the ground, I personally found out that only one person had been captured and I sent out the correction myself. How is it that you are ready to accept one of our statement, not the other?"
"We have not retaliated because we want peace [...] we asked you [India] to ask America about our F-16s’ strength. In this day and age, hiding the downing of a plane is impossible. In this time, even if a motorcycle crashes the world finds out.
"We have not talked much about it because we want to find the appropriate time to honour our pilots whose skills had been used to down the Indian planes.
"India says that Pakistan’s attitude needs to change. We say that you have not been able to change our attitude, but maybe you need to look inwards and look at the way you have approached the relationship between the two countries.
"In your [Indian] rhetoric, you keep using nuclear power as a threat. Nuclear powers are not a threat, they are a weapon of deterrence that should not be mentioned lightly."
"Do not test our resolve," he said while addressing India, stressing that the Pakistan Army will fully defend its 207 million people if and when required.
Media's positive role
The chief of the military's media wing appreciated the role played by the Pakistani media during the war against terror in the past two years, and during the three-day conflict with India in February. "The media played the best possible role in the situation and I would like to thank you for it," he told the journalists present.
"Pakistan has a regional importance. We are neighbours with Afghanistan, which has been plagued with war for the last 40 years, first with the Soviet occupation and then with the US army after 9/11.
"I can now say with confidence that there is no terrorist organisation in Pakistan anymore. We have proscribed violent extremist organisations and we have been working to curb terrorism in Pakistan.
"Cooperation with Afghanistan has been going throughout this time. This can be seen through the fact that at least 81,000 Pakistani soldiers have lost their lives in these operations to date."
This is a developing story that is being updated as the situation evolves. Initial reports in the media can sometimes be inaccurate. We will strive to ensure timeliness and accuracy by relying on credible sources such as concerned, qualified authorities and our staff reporters.
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