Pakistani military spokesperson urges Muslims to avoid non-believers, alleges India-Afghan terror nexus

Pakistan's military spokesperson, Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, has stirred controversy with remarks advising Muslims against befriending non-believers, alongside fresh allegations of Indian involvement in terrorism. The statements came during a press conference focused on Pakistan's security situation and counter-terrorism operations.

Addressing reporters, Chaudhry said, “Do not befriend kaafirs (non-believers) and leave the faithful. If you do that, there's a problem. Then you are not among the Muslims.” The remarks were part of a broader briefing that also touched upon governance, Balochistan, and ties with Afghanistan.

On the domestic front, the general questioned whether Pakistan's current provincial structure serves the purpose of good governance. “Now our population is 240-250 million people, and we still have four provinces. We have to see whether this is serving the purpose of good governance. That debate has to be sensibly held by politicians, by those in power, even those who have previously been in power, and those who are responsible to the people of Pakistan,” he added.

Shifting focus to regional relations, Chaudhry levelled accusations against India and Afghanistan. He claimed that the Afghan Taliban regime's “business” was terrorism, alleging that it used militancy to sustain its economy, state institutions, and diplomacy. “Even their diplomacy is centred on terrorism. What is common between India and Afghanistan, except their DNA? The only thing common is terrorism,” he said, as reported by Dawn.

The DG ISPR further alleged that around 300 Indian websites were being used to support terrorism-related activities in Balochistan, while more than 1,000 social media accounts and a “hostile diaspora” were involved in spreading propaganda linked to terrorism. He described a systematic process: “First, an event or incident is seeded, right or wrong, and then it is framed by initiators, who hand it over to amplifiers. Then mass amplification is done by mainstream Indian media, channels and their print media as well, from where it is picked up by international media, and then you take it and run it as facts.”

These allegations, however, were presented without evidence, and India has historically rejected similar claims. The Indian government has not yet responded to these latest remarks.

Chaudhry also outlined measures to strengthen the police force in Balochistan, including deploying newly recruited assistant superintendents of police (ASPs) and providing bulletproof vehicles. This comes amid a series of attacks on Pakistani security forces in the province last month, with armed clashes reported during military operations in Mastung and Kech districts.

The insurgency in Balochistan has been led by several separatist groups, most notably the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which has waged a long-running campaign against Pakistan's federal government. The group has frequently targeted security personnel and infrastructure in the province and has also carried out attacks in other parts of the country, including Karachi.

According to Pakistan's 2023 census, Balochistan is home to around 15 million people and is rich in natural resources, including coal, gold, copper, and natural gas. The BLA maintains that these resources should belong to the people of Balochistan and opposes the federal government's control over their extraction and the province's security.