Indian Claims Exposed: DG ISPR Presents ‘Pakistani Army Havildar’ Reported Killed in Kashmir

Meanwhile, indirect diplomatic contacts between the United States and Iran are continuing over efforts to end the war between the two countries. Iran has reportedly presented proposals concerning the restoration of maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and confidence building measures, while Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has also received the US response.

Tensions also remain in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and Lebanon, while fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed forces in Yemen has intensified in recent weeks. The various fronts in the region remain interconnected, while conflicts involving Iran, Israel, Hezbollah and the Houthis continue to raise concerns about a wider confrontation in the Middle East.

On the other hand, the war between the United States and Iran, which has been ongoing since February, has entered a critical phase. Indirect diplomatic contacts between the two countries have resumed through mediators in recent days. Iran had presented a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days and resume nuclear negotiations, but US President Donald Trump rejected the Iranian proposal.

The situation in the Strait of Hormuz has also affected global energy markets, as the waterway is one of the world's most important oil routes. Maritime traffic through the strait has been severely disrupted amid tensions between Iran and the United States, while recent attacks and the US naval blockade have continued to put pressure on oil supplies and global prices.

DG ISPR Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said during a press conference on Thursday that Pakistan had presented its position on the Indian Army's operation in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir and claims concerning Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Musa.

During the press conference, the DG ISPR gave details regarding what he described as a false flag operation. He said that on the night of September 29, the Indian Army's Chinar Corps posted about a joint search operation in Indian-administered Kashmir and claimed that a person had been killed during the operation.

According to Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, around seven and a half hours later, on September 30, the Indian military issued another update claiming that the body of a terrorist affiliated with Lashkar-e-Taiba had been recovered.

The DG ISPR said the Indian Army identified the person killed as Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Musa and claimed that he was from Pakistan.

He said an Indian news agency also released details of the alleged militant along with a service number and claimed that Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Musa was a Havildar of the Pakistan Army's Special Services Group (SSG).

Indian media and news agencies published various details describing Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Musa as a former Pakistani soldier. Indian news agency ANI claimed that Mohammad Asif was born on March 7, 1980, joined the Pakistan Army in 2000 and had service number PA-3106947.

ANI reported that Mohammad Asif had served in the Pakistan Army as a Havildar, while Indian media also linked him to the Special Services Group (SSG).

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said that after the Indian Army, the Indian government also issued statements about the incident, but contradictions were found between the statements.

He said the Indian government described Mohammad Asif as a Lashkar-e-Taiba commander and claimed that he had been active in Indian-administered Kashmir for four years and had been involved in several operations there.

The DG ISPR said India presented Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Musa as a major terrorist and Indian media also extensively broadcast the claims.

He said such reports brought back memories of Indian claims concerning the Uri and Pahalgam incidents.

He said the Indian Army also showed Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Musa's identity card and presented the incident as a success of its operation.

According to the DG ISPR, Operation Sherowali began in May and the Indian Army was claiming success in the operation nearly six months later.

He sarcastically congratulated the Indian Army on what he described as its so-called success, saying the Indian government had also portrayed Mohammad Asif as a soldier and exaggerated his alleged activities.

The military spokesperson said that after the claims by the Indian Army and media, Pakistan located Mohammad Asif and presented him before the media.

Mohammad Asif, who appeared before the media, said he was a resident of Pindi Gheb in Attock district and lived with his family in Rawalpindi.

Mohammad Asif said his friends told him that reports were circulating on social media claiming that he had been killed by the Indian Army in Kashmir.

He said he told his friends that he was alive and standing in front of them, asking how he could have been killed.

Mohammad Asif further said that after the reports emerged, he began receiving calls from Indian numbers. After learning that his data had been used by Indian media, he was surprised that he was at home while India had declared him dead.

He said he had informed his former unit and the ISPR about all the details so that the record could remain clear.

Mohammad Asif said he joined the Pakistan Army in 2000, joined the SSG in 2005 and retired in 2023 after 18 years of service.

He said that after retirement, he worked for three years with a private security company and was currently at his own home.

Mohammad Asif said the Indian Army had claimed to have killed him by portraying him as a terrorist, although he was alive and appeared before everyone. He described the Indian claim as false and condemned it.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said India had expanded what he described as its terrorism to other countries, adding that India carried out terrorism and took pride in it.

He alleged that India funds various organisations, including the Mukti Bahini, BLA and TTP. The DG ISPR further alleged that India itself targets Muslims in the country through terrorism, while Sikhs and Christians also face terrorism. He said an alleged nexus between India and the Afghan Taliban regime was also evident.

The military spokesperson said India had turned Indian-administered Kashmir into a military cantonment, where around one million Indian troops were deployed.

He said Kashmiris had to seek permission even to travel from one village to another. The DG ISPR further alleged that the Indian military demolishes Kashmiri homes with explosives and that the Kashmiri people have faced extreme oppression.

He said India was itself committing oppression and wanted to blame others for it. He said India could not blame its alleged actions on Mohammad Asif of Pindi Gheb and advised India to move beyond what he described as interference outside Pakistan's state authority.

The DG ISPR said Pakistan had also offered an investigation into the Pahalgam incident, adding that the world had recognised what he described as India's dual standards. He also criticised Indian media and said that during the war, Indian media had made claims that Karachi had been captured.

He said the Indian Army's agenda was Hindutva and pleasing its masters, adding that Pakistan faced what he described as an inferior enemy. He said Pakistan had a neighbour that considered terrorism a solution to problems.

Lieutenant General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said Pakistan had a neighbour that declared Asif dead, adding that having such a neighbour was a matter of regret.

The DG ISPR warned India that Pakistan would not leave any future action unanswered and said India should know what Pakistan could do in response.

The military spokesperson further said Pakistan remained committed to the Mecca Alliance and that there should be no doubt about it. He said Pakistan's role in protecting Saudi Arabia and the holy sites was clear and that what he described as India's "heinous" face had been exposed.

Regarding defence cooperation between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye, the DG ISPR had previously said that the agreement between the three countries was defence-related and aimed at collective defence and regional stability.

The DG ISPR said the Afghan Taliban regime had chosen terrorism and that Afghans were also involved in attacks against Pakistan.

He questioned what the Taliban had done, but clarified that Pakistan had no issue with the Afghan people and that the issue was with the Afghan Taliban regime. He described the regime as unelected and forcibly occupying power and said that all terrorist organisations had gathered in Afghanistan.

The DG ISPR has previously said that Pakistan's demand is that Afghan territory should not be used for terrorism against Pakistan.

It is worth recalling that India had previously accused Pakistan of involvement in the attack that took place in Pahalgam in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22, 2025. Pakistan rejected the allegations.

Tensions between Pakistan and India increased following the Pahalgam attack, and military operations were carried out by both countries in May 2025.

Pakistan said Indian fighter jets were shot down during the military confrontation, while different details emerged from Indian, Pakistani and international sources.

The current DG ISPR press conference also specifically addressed Indian claims concerning the killing of Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Musa in Indian-administered Kashmir and the claim that he was a former Pakistani soldier. Recent Indian reporting has also described Mohammad Asif alias Hashim Musa as a former Pakistani SSG member and a Lashkar-e-Taiba commander.