In a wide-ranging interview with international broadcaster Al Jazeera TV, Director-General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt-General Ahmed Sharif Choudhary presented Pakistan’s unequivocal stance on India’s state-sponsored terrorism, Fitna Al Khawarij and Pakistan’s nuclear doctrine.

Lt-Gen Sharif stated that “India has institutionalised terrorism as a state policy against Pakistan,” particularly targeting the security and stability of Balochistan.

He described New Delhi’s actions as part of a systematic and long-term agenda to destabilise the country.

The interview came in the wake of a deadly terrorist attack in Waziristan last month, claimed by the proscribed TTP, in which 16 Pakistani soldiers were martyred and over 20 others injured.

The DG ISPR squarely blamed India for sponsoring such acts of violence, accusing it of direct involvement and financial backing of terrorist networks within Pakistan.

Clarifying the term Khawarij, Gen Sharif said it refers to armed groups that attack the Pakistani state and its forces.

“Fitna Al Khawarij is the modern manifestation of a historically deviant ideology that falsely legitimises violence against fellow Muslims,” he said, reiterating that in Islam, only the state can declare jihad and no individual or group has this authority.

He stressed that such extremist groups have no connection with Islam, humanity, Pakistan, or its traditions.

Referring to Fitna Al Hindustan, he said it describes the terrorists backed entirely by India to create unrest, particularly in Balochistan.

Gen Sharif revealed that the Indian terror apparatus is run under the command of National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and that India’s political leadership has on several occasions openly admitted to its involvement in anti-Pakistan activities.

The ISPR DG further noted that countries like the US and Canada have acknowledged India’s role in cross-border terrorism, which poses a serious threat to global security.

He also condemned Israel’s aggression against Iran, reiterating Pakistan’s firm political and diplomatic support for Tehran.

“Pakistan considers any aggression against Muslim states a severe threat to regional stability,” he stated.

On Pakistan’s nuclear programme, Gen Sharif delivered a clear and resolute message: “Pakistan’s nuclear assets are fully secure. No country can dare to target them.”

He asserted that Pakistan is a responsible and declared nuclear power, and its nuclear capability remains untouchable — a cornerstone of national defence and regional strategic balance.