Indian Army chief Gen. Bipin Rawat has been repeatedly “provoking war” through “irresponsible” statements and endangering regional peace, Pakistan’s military spokesperson has said.

Gen. Rawat had on Friday described Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as a “terrorist-controlled” part of Pakistan.

In his closing remarks at the Field Marshal K.M. Cariappa memorial lecture in New Delhi, Rawat had also asserted that Gilgit-Baltistan and PoK have been under illegal occupation of Pakistan.

“The territory (PoK) occupied by Pakistan is not controlled by the Pakistan establishment but it is controlled by terrorists. PoK is actually a terrorist-controlled part of Pakistan,” Rawat said.

He said attempts were being made by Pakistani terrorists to disrupt resumption of normal life in the Valley after the withdrawal of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.

Pakistan military spokesperson Major General Asif Ghafoor said the Indian Army chief was repeatedly issuing irresponsible statements to fortify his candidacy for the newly proposed post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).

“Indian COAS repeatedly provoking war through irresponsible statements endangering regional peace for electioneering of political masters,” Ghafoor said, adding that he was hoping to become Indian CDS “at the cost of professional military ethos”.

“From fake surgical strike to-date his only success has been to turn Indian Army into a rogue force and getting them killed,” Ghafoor tweeted.

There was no immediate comment from the Indian side on Ghafoor’s statement, but an official said the Indian Army does not react to blatant lies and outlandish allegations.