Pakistan prepared to respond to any threat: Pak army chief

Islamabad: Pakistan army chief General Qamar Javed Bajwa on Wednesday said that his forces are fully prepared and capable to respond to any threat from across the border.

Gen Bajwa made the remarks during his meeting with Prime Minister of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir Raja Farooq Haider Khan in Rawalpindi, according to a statement issued by the army.

"Army is fully prepared and capable to respond to any threat from across the border," General Bajwa said.

The statement said the security situation on the Line of Control and other matters of mutual interest figured during their meeting.

Earlier this month, Bajwa had said his forces are fully geared to respond to "any aggression" by India and rejected the "self defeating claims" of Indian Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat about 'so called surgical strikes'.

India maintains that its forces in September last year conducted surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, targetting terrorists and destroying their training camps.

Separately, Gen Bajwa also met UAE Ambassador Essa Abdullah Albasha Alnoaimi in Rawalpindi and discussed matters pertaining to mutual interest.

The Army Chief appreciated UAE's role in development projects in tribal areas and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.