ISLAMABAD: Pakistan鈥檚 military said on Friday it would not allow India to 鈥渟et a new norm鈥� where it could carry out cross-border strikes at will, vowing to defend the country鈥檚 sovereignty and respond at a time and place of its choosing.

The two South Asian nuclear rivals have been on the brink of a full-scale war since India carried out strikes on multiple locations in Pakistan on Wednesday, in response to a deadly April 22 attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that left 26 tourists dead. New Delhi blamed Islamabad for the attack, a charge Pakistan has denied.

In the days since, Pakistan has claimed to have downed five Indian fighter jets and over 75 drones, while India said it had retaliated against Pakistani air and drone assaults by destroying an air defense system in Lahore.

Global powers have urged both sides to exercise restraint, but tensions remain high.

鈥淭hey want to set a new norm that at their convenience, whenever they feel like it, they will go cross-border, cross-international, and hit wherever they like,鈥� Pakistan military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry said in a briefing to foreign media.

鈥淲hat do you think of Pakistan 鈥� that we will allow all this to happen after clearly saying we have every right to protect the honor, integrity and sovereignty of our people?鈥�

He added that Pakistan would respond 鈥渁t the time, place and method of our choosing.鈥�

During the briefing, Chaudhry displayed images of children killed in Indian strikes and asked journalists to keep them in mind.

鈥淧lease remember these pictures when you talk about what鈥檚 happening on the ground and when you ask us what Pakistan is going to do,鈥� he said.

Accusing India of sponsoring 鈥渢errorism,鈥� Chaudhry alleged that Indian agencies were operating training camps inside their country and directing armed groups to increase attacks on Pakistani soil.

鈥淭hey have networks of people whom they train and equip with weapons,鈥� he said. 鈥淚nstructions have been issued to terrorist groups to ramp up activities against Pakistan.鈥�

India and Pakistan have fought multiple wars, but this is the most serious escalation since both countries became declared nuclear powers in May 1998.

The disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, which both sides claim in full but control in part, has long been a flashpoint and the cause of repeated military skirmishes.