RISALPUR: The international community should condemn the distortion of facts by India regarding held Kashmir and the LoC, Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif said on Thursday.

"We have recently witnessed an unfortunate display of utter desperation playing out inside occupied Kashmir and along the Line of Control through a litany of falsehood and distortion of facts by India," he said while addressing a passing out parade of PAF cadets.

"We expect the international communtiy to condemn Indian insinuations and fabrications about a nation that has made unparalleled contributions to the global fight against terrorism."

He said the Pakistani armed forces are fully prepared to give the "most befitting response" to any internal or external threats directed at the country.

"Pakistan is a responsible country and remains committed to the policy of friendship with all other countries based on equality and mutual respect."

"Any aggression born out of deliberate intent or even a strategic miscalculation will not be allowed to go unpunished and will be met with a befitting response."

Talking about the internal front, he said Operation Zarb-i-Azb with "full support from Pakistan Air Force" has successfully turned the tide against terrorism.

He said the enemies of Pakistan will make efforts to reverse the gains in the fight against terror. But "their nefarious designs will not be allowed to succeed at any cost".

Soaring tensions

The army chief's comments come as tensions simmer between Pakistan and India over the Kashmir issue

In one of the worst episodes of cross-border firing along the Line of Control, at least two Pakistan Army soldiers were killed as Indian troops opened fire on the first line of defence last month.

India also claimed to have performed a "surgical strike" by crossing the disputed boundary. The Indian claims were rubbished by Pakistan Army.

It later emerged that an Indian soldier was captured by the Pakistan army, while Indian soldiers were also killed in the episode of firing across the LoC. Security sources said at the time that at least eight Indian soldiers were killed in firing by Pakistani troops.

Since then, Pakistani and Indian troops have exchanged fire across the LoC on an almost daily basis.