Islamabad: Pakistan's military chief, Field Marshal Gen. Asim Munir, has strongly refuted allegations of "external support" during the recent conflict with India, emphasizing its bilateral nature.

According to Anadolu Agency, Gen. Munir addressed the graduating officers of the National Security and War Course at the National Defense University in Islamabad, where he criticized the "insinuations" as "irresponsible and factually incorrect." These remarks followed comments from Indian military's deputy chief, Lt. Gen. Rahul Singh, suggesting that China provided "live inputs" to Pakistan during the May conflict, which concluded with a US-brokered ceasefire.

Lt. Gen. Singh had claimed that New Delhi faced two adversaries during the conflict, with Pakistan as the primary opponent and China providing "all possible support." In response, Gen. Munir dismissed these claims, stating that they reflect a reluctance to recognize Pakistan's "indigenous capability and institutional resilience."

Gen. Munir further criticized India's failure to meet its military objectives during "Operation Sindoor," asserting that India's rationale for this shortfall highlights its lack of "operational readiness and strategic foresight." He condemned the naming of other states as involved parties in what he described as a "purely bilateral military conflagration," accusing India of attempting to manipulate geopolitical narratives to maintain its regional influence.

Despite the Indian claims, New Delhi has yet to respond to Gen. Munir's statements. The Pakistani military chief emphasized Pakistan's commitment to regional stability through "principled diplomacy" and warned against any threats to the nation's sovereignty, promising a "swift, and resolute response" to any such acts.

Gen. Munir concluded by reiterating that any attacks on Pakistan's population centers or strategic locations would be met with a "deeply hurting and more than reciprocal response."