Bhuj: India on Friday called on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to reconsider its $1-billion assistance to Pakistan, suggesting that Islamabad could use it for terror funding.
In an address to military personnel here, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said India does not want that the funding it gives to the IMF should be used directly or indirectly to create terror infrastructure in Pakistan or any other country.
“I believe that in today’s time, any kind of financial assistance to Pakistan is nothing less than terror funding.
“India would like the IMF to reconsider its assistance of one billion dollars to Pakistan and refrain from giving any kind of assistance in future," he said.
Singh, who arrived at the Bhuj Air Force station in the morning to review the overall security situation, lauded the Indian Air Force for spearheading the campaign against terrorism effectively.
He said during Operation Sindoor, India’s armed forces not only dominated the enemy but also succeeded in decimating them. Prime Minister Narendra Modi coined 'Operation Sindoor', Singh said.
Lauding the Indian Air Force for spearheading the campaign against terrorism effectively, he said, “Our Air Force has touched new and greater heights with its valour, courage and glory.”
The Air Force base here was among the military infrastructure that Pakistan targeted during the four-day confrontation between the two militaries.
In his address, he said that the $1 billion IMF assistance to Pakistan would be used to fund terror infrastructure, and wondered if that would not be considered “indirect funding” by an international organisation.
Singh said Pakistan has again started rebuilding the destroyed terror infrastructure, and its government has collected taxes from the common Pakistani citizens to give it to Masood Azhar, the head of Jaish-e-Mohammed and a UN-designated terrorist.
The Pakistan government has also announced financial assistance to rebuild the terror infrastructure of Lashkar-e-Taiba and JeM in Muridke and Bahawalpur, he said.
With the government and terrorism linked in Pakistan, the possibility of nuclear bombs in the country falling into the hands of terrorist elements cannot be ruled out, he said.
“The mask of the state and non-state actors has now been completely removed. In such a situation, if nuclear bombs are kept there, then the possibility of them falling into the hands of terrorist elements cannot be ruled out in the future,” he said.
He said it is a matter of grave danger not only for India but also for the whole world and the people of Pakistan.
With the pause in the military action, India has put Pakistan on “probation, he said.
“In India, a troublemaker is put on probation by the magistrate for good behaviour for some time. If that person does any mischief during the probation, he is given appropriate punishment,” Singh said.
“Similarly, in the current ceasefire, we have put Pakistan on probation. If its behaviour improves, then it is fine, but if its behaviour deteriorates again, it will be given the harshest punishment,” he added.
Singh said India’s fight against terrorism is not just a matter of security but has become a part of the national defence doctrine.
“Together with you, we will end this proxy and hybrid war. As the Defence Minister, I want to reiterate that India today is no longer the same India as before. A new India has been born under the leadership of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.
“You have given a clear message through Operation Sindoor that as much as we have kept our hearts open for peace, we have also kept our eyes open against those who destroy peace,” he said.
Singh said that Operation Sindoor is not over yet.
“Whatever happened was just a trailer. We will show the entire picture to the world at the right time. We have made it clear that if anyone harms our sovereignty, they will be dealt with appropriately. We are ready for a louder and stronger response to terrorism,” he said.
He said India commands a lot of respect on the global stage due to the courage of its armed forces.
“You have convinced the entire nation that the new India no longer tolerates but retaliates,” he said.
He said Operation Sindoor has also proved that the Indian Air Force can reach every corner of Pakistan.
“Today, the situation is such that India's fighter planes are fully capable of directly attacking every corner of Pakistan from here without crossing the border. The whole world has seen how you destroyed the terrorist hideouts on Pakistani soil, and in the subsequent action, many of their air bases were also destroyed,” he said.
He said the IAF has not only demonstrated its valour to the world but has also given proof that India’s war policy and technology have changed. Pakistan itself has accepted the power of India’s BrahMos missiles.
“Today, weapons made in India are not only reliable but also formidable and impenetrable. There’s an old saying in our country — ‘to make someone see stars.’ But the India-made BrahMos missile has shown Pakistan the light of day in the darkness of night,” he said.
Akash and other radar systems of the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) played a great role during the operation. Instead of running away from enemy drones, Indian citizens were filming those being shot down by our air defence system, he said.