As tensions between India and Pakistan continue to escalate, Pakistani military spokesperson Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry has been criticised for making an incendiary anti-Indian statement that echoes terror mastermind Hafiz Saeed as well as his son Talha Saeed. Addressing a Pakistani university, the DG ISPR issued another "blatant' threat to India after suspending the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) and asserted, "If you stop our waters, we'll choke your breath." The statement, which went viral across social media, has been compared to the provocative addresses of Hafiz Saeed, the UN-designated terrorist and suspected mastermind of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks.

Talha Saeed Threatens India With "Bloodshed in the Rivers"

Fueling the fire, Hafiz Saeed's son, Talha Saeed, a UN-designated terrorist under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, made a new threat to India. In a viral video message, Talha threatened: "Modi agar tu paani band karega… Insha'Allah toh hum teri saans band karenge," threatening violence if India cuts off water supply to Pakistan. He went further, stating, “In dariyon mein khoon bahega,” openly threatening bloodshed. He also alleged that Indian troops might attack his father in Islamabad, creating further speculation and fears.

DG ISPR’s Father Linked To Al-Qaeda, Banned Terror Outfit

General Chaudhry’s father, Sultan Bashiruddin Mahmood, has been identified as a nuclear scientist sanctioned by the United Nations and the United States for his links to al-Qaeda. Mahmood had reportedly met Osama bin Laden and gave insights on nuclear infrastructure as well as technology, officials quoted by the news agency PTI reported. He is also a founding member of Ummah Tameer-e-Nau, a Pakistan-based fundamentalist organisation sanctioned in 2001 for aiding Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The group has known links to former ISI chief Lt Gen Hamid Gul and is listed in the US Treasury’s Specially Designated Nationals (SDN) list. Mahmood was arrested after the 9/11 attacks for allegedly advising al-Qaeda on nuclear capabilities, but was released later.

PM Modi Clears Nation's Stance

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, addressing the nation after Operation Sindoor, categorically reaffirmed India's zero-tolerance policy towards cross-border terrorism. "Terror and trade cannot go hand in hand," PM Modi asserted on Monday while drawing a sharp diplomatic line in the face of increased hostility with Pakistan. Citing India's decision to suspend the Indus Waters Treaty, the Prime Minister declared, "Water and blood cannot flow together," affirming India's belief that peaceful bilateral treaties are unsustainable while terrorism is exported across the border.

Also read: Hafiz Saeed's Son Makes Hateful Remarks Against PM Modi After India Halts Indus Waters Treaty | What He Said

India's action to place the Indus Waters Treaty "in abeyance" followed the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. India retaliated the following day by suspending all water-sharing obligations of the 1960 treaty and closing down the Integrated Check Post on the Attari border. The IWT, negotiated by the World Bank, regulates the sharing of the Indus River and its tributaries between India and Pakistan. It had remained a unique indicator of cooperation between the two countries, even amidst warfare. India initiated Operation Sindoor on May 7, a strategic counter-terror operation against nine terror-related targets in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir.

The war-like rhetoric coming from Pakistan's military and its extremist forces raised international alarm. India called on the international community to call out Pakistan for promoting terrorism and to acknowledge its modus operandi of using terror proxies to destabilize regional peace. As part of its effort to counter global misinformation and highlight India's policy of zero tolerance on terrorism, the government has dispatched seven all-party delegations of Indian MPs to over 30 partner countries.

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