Don't compare strikes and match: Pakistan military spokesperson

Islamabad: Pakistan’s military spokesperson on Monday asked Home Minister Amit Shah not to compare Pakistan cricket team’s defeat to India in the World Cup game to the air strikes, warning him to “stay surprised”, according to media reports.

Remarks by Major Gen Asif Ghafoor, who is the director general of the Army’s media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), came after Shah congratulated the Indian cricket team after their win over Pakistan in the World Cup clash and tweeted: “Another strike on Pakistan by Team India and the result is same.”

“Congratulations to the entire team for this superb performance. Every Indian is feeling proud and celebrating this impressive win,” Shah tweeted.

Shah was referring to the February 26 strikes carried out by India on terrorist training camp in Balakot in Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Pakistan has denied that there was any damage or casualties in the IAF air strikes.

Ghafoor, through his personal account, on Monday responded to Shah, saying: “Dear Amit Shah, yes your team won a match. Well played.”

Ghafoor pointed out that “two things with different denominators can’t be compared, so are strikes and match”.
“If in doubt please see results of our Nowshera counter strikes and response to IAF [Indian Air Force] violation on 27 Feb 19 downing two Indian jets,” he said, ending his tweet with: “Stay Surprised.”

India has maintained that it had lost only one of its fighter jets in the air combat on February 27.