Islamabad, May 5:

A Pakistani military official yesterday criticised an Indian commander’s comments after he said an ongoing military exercise was aimed at dismembering its arch-rival in the event of a war.

The “irresponsible” statement did not bode well for the ongoing peace process between Pakistan and India, the official said.

“An army of the size of India does not require to brag about its capabilities; these are well-known to the military analysts,” said the official from the Pakistani military’s Inter-Services Public Relations who did not want to be named.

On Wednesday, officials in New Delhi said India’s top military strike force backed by aircraft were practicing war games aimed at slicing Pakistan in half in the event of actual war.

An Indian commander had told AFP: “This will put to test our 2004 war doctrine to dismember a not-so-friendly nation effectively and at the shortest possible time, but since my statement is not politically friendly I would not like to be identified.” The three-week exercises involving 40,000 Indian soldiers are being held near the Pakistan border and will end on May 19.