Pakistan Army prepared to 'go to any extent' to help Kashmiris: Gen Bajwa

Islamabad: Needling India, Pakistan Army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Tuesday said that his troops are prepared to "go to any extent" to help Kashmiris after the Indian government revoked Article 370 which gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. The decision to take away Jammu and Kashmir's special status and treat it like any other state in India is aimed at the ending the decades old separatist movement in the Valley.

Gen Bajwa presided over the Corps Commanders Conference, which is the highest decision-making forum of the army, held at General Headquarters on a single point agenda of Kashmir. "Pakistan Army firmly stands by the Kashmiris in their just struggle to the very end. We are prepared and shall go to any extent to fulfil our obligations...," Gen Bajwa told the army commanders.

In a statement, the Army said that the forum fully supported the Pakistan Government's "rejection of Indian actions" regarding Kashmir. Pakistan never recognised Article 370 of the Indian Constitution or 35-A which have now been revoked by New Delhi itself, the army said. On Monday, Pakistan condemned and rejected the Indian government revoking Article 370 of the Constitution and vowed to exercise "all possible options" to counter India's "illegal" and "unilateral" step.

Reacting sharply to the Indian government's announcement, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday expressed apprehension that Pulwama-like attacks can follow the revocation of the special status for Jammu and Kashmir, which could trigger a conventional war between Pakistan and India.

"This will be a war that no one will win and the implications will be global," he warned while addressing a rare joint sitting of Parliament that was convened to discuss the Kashmir situation. Khan said that his government would approach the world leaders and apprise them of situation in Kashmir. "We will fight it at every forum including the UN Security Council," he said, adding that Pakistan also plans to take the matter to the International Court of Justice.