ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s military on Wednesday accused India’s armed forces of reviving “delusional, fabricated and provocative propaganda” ahead of state elections, warning that chest-thumping by a nuclear-armed military could stoke a cycle of jingoism and destabilize South Asia.
The statement comes five months after the May 2025 India-Pakistan conflict, termed “Marka-e-Haq” (“Battle of Truth”) by Pakistan’s military, which saw the two nations exchange artillery, missile and drone strikes before a US-brokered ceasefire was announced on May 10. The calm has largely held since the truce.
On Wednesday the military’s media wing, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), alleged Indian military leaders have resumed pre-election rhetoric in the run-up to Bihar assembly polls scheduled for Nov. 6 and 11, 2025, and West Bengal’s assembly elections due in 2026. ISPR said such statements were being issued “under immense political pressure.”
Indian political and security rhetoric in recent months has included public statements blaming Pakistan for supporting terrorism in Kashmir, claims that Pakistani forces plan incursions ahead of India’s elections and assertions of “bloodshed” narratives designed to rally domestic political support.
