‘Killed’ former soldier appears alive — India faces questions

RAWALPINDI: Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry on Thursday rejected Indian claims that a former Pakistan Army soldier had been killed during a military operation in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir, presenting the individual before the media and saying he was alive.

Chaudhry said the episode began on September 29, when Indian authorities announced a joint operation involving the Indian Army, Jammu and Kashmir Police and the Central Reserve Police Force in the Korag-Yousmarg area.

According to the Indian account cited by the DG ISPR, security forces encountered suspected militants during the operation and later reported that one militant had been killed.

Indian reports identify alleged militant

Chaudhry said Indian authorities subsequently claimed that the body recovered during the operation belonged to a Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba militant identified as Mohammad Asif, also known as Hashim Moosa.

Indian media reports described the alleged militant as a former Pakistan Army soldier and claimed that he had served with the Special Services Group.

The reports attributed several details to Asif’s alleged military career, including his date of joining the Pakistan Army, service number, retirement and purported deployment history.

‘Killed’ former soldier appears before media

The DG ISPR challenged the reports by bringing Muhammad Asif before journalists during the press conference.

Asif said he had been receiving calls from Indian numbers after reports about his alleged death began circulating. He said he was at home when he learned that Indian media had reported his killing.

Asif stated that he joined the Pakistan Army in 2000, entered the Special Services Group in 2005 and served for 18 years before retiring in 2023.

His appearance was presented by the Pakistani military as evidence contradicting the Indian identification of the person allegedly killed in the operation.

DG ISPR calls incident a ‘false flag’

Chaudhry described the episode as what he called another Indian “false flag” operation.

He said the narrative developed through a sequence of statements by Indian military authorities, government agencies and media outlets. He questioned how reports identifying Asif as a deceased militant could be reconciled with his appearance before the Pakistani media.

The military spokesperson also criticised what he described as the repeated use of Pakistan-related allegations to shape public opinion and justify Indian security actions in Jammu and Kashmir.

India has not accepted Pakistan’s account, while the competing claims remain part of the wider dispute between the two countries.

Warning against further escalation

During the briefing, Chaudhry also warned against another military escalation between Pakistan and India.

He said Pakistan would respond if India chose to initiate further hostilities and maintained that the country’s armed forces were prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity.

His remarks came amid continuing tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours over Kashmir, terrorism allegations and the military confrontation of 2025.

Background to Pakistan-India tensions

Relations between Pakistan and India deteriorated sharply after the April 2025 Pahalgam attack, which killed 26 people.

India blamed Pakistan for the attack, a charge Islamabad rejected. The dispute subsequently escalated into military confrontation, with India carrying out strikes inside Pakistan and Pakistan responding with military action of its own.

A ceasefire was announced on May 10, 2025, following diplomatic efforts involving the United States.

Both countries have since continued to accuse each other of supporting militant activity, while their competing narratives have also featured prominently at international forums.

Makkah agreement and Saudi security

The ISPR chief was also asked about Pakistan’s commitments under the Makkah agreement with Saudi Arabia.

Chaudhry said details regarding Pakistani troop deployments to Saudi Arabia were confidential and linked to operational requirements.

He stressed that Pakistan’s commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security and the protection of its holy sites remained firm, while declining to disclose operational details publicly.

Afghanistan security concerns

The briefing also focused on cross-border militancy and Pakistan’s concerns regarding Afghanistan.

Chaudhry said the military operates under the federal government according to the Constitution and that coordination with provincial authorities is therefore the responsibility of the federal government.

He nevertheless said Pakistan would take all necessary measures to protect its territorial integrity and sovereignty.

The DG ISPR accused the Afghan Taliban authorities of allowing militant organisations to operate from Afghan territory. He referred to groups including the Islamic State Khorasan Province and the East Turkestan Islamic Movement.

He urged international media organisations to examine allegations concerning the involvement of Afghan nationals in attacks inside Pakistan and questioned what measures the Afghan authorities were taking to prevent militant activity from affecting Pakistan.

Chaudhry stressed that Pakistan’s dispute was with the Afghan Taliban administration rather than the Afghan people.

Pakistan’s allegations against India

Pakistan has for years accused India of supporting militant activity inside the country, particularly in Balochistan and other areas.

Islamabad has presented allegations of Indian involvement at international forums and submitted dossiers to the United Nations on several occasions.

India has rejected these accusations and has, in turn, accused Pakistan of supporting militant groups operating against Indian interests.

The competing allegations remain part of the broader security and diplomatic dispute between the two countries.

Information battle continues

Thursday’s briefing added another episode to the continuing information conflict between Pakistan and India.

By presenting Asif before journalists, the Pakistani military sought to directly challenge reports identifying him as the former soldier allegedly killed during the September 29 operation.