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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s foreign office on Monday rejected Indian allegations of “sabre rattling” as misleading, promising a “matching response” to any aggression by New Delhi.

India’s ministry of external affairs (MEA) accused Pakistan of “sabre rattling” and “irresponsibility” after media reports on remarks about nuclear threats in South Asia made by Pakistan’s army chief while on a visit to the United States (US).

Pakistan’s Field Marshal Asim Munir was said to have made the remarks at a black-tie dinner hosted by a Pakistani-origin businessman in Florida on Saturday, where he spoke to a crowd of more than 100 people.

An excerpt of his speech shared by Pakistani security officials did not include such remarks, while the foreign office in Islamabad said the Indian MEA’s statement was yet another demonstration of their “chronic tendency to distorting facts and twisting statements out of context.”

“The Indian narrative of an alleged ‘nuclear blackmail’ is a misleading and self-serving construct,” it said in a statement. “Pakistan remains firmly opposed to the use or threat of use of force. India’s sabre rattling and war mongering, whenever confronted, invite unfounded allegations bereft of rationality.”

India and Pakistan both possess nuclear weapons and fought their deadliest battle in decades in May, sparked by an attack on tourists the previous month in Indian-administer Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians.

“Nuclear sabre-rattling is Pakistan’s stock-in-trade,” Randhir Jaiswal, the spokesperson of India’s MEA, said, adding that it was regrettable that the reported remarks have been made while in a friendly third country.

“The international community can draw its own conclusions on the irresponsibility inherent in such remarks.”

In a version of the speech shared by Pakistani security officials, Munir said: “The (Indian) aggression has brought the region to the brink of a dangerously escalating war, where a bilateral conflict due to any miscalculation will be a grave mistake.”

The Pakistani army chief was on a visit to the US to attend a farewell event for General Michael Kurilla, the 15th commander of the United States Central Command. India previously lodged a private diplomatic protest with Washington when President Donald Trump hosted Munir for a lunch at the White House in June.

In its statement on Monday, the foreign office said Pakistan is a responsible nuclear weapon state with an elaborate command and control structure under full civilian control, and it has always exercised discipline and restraint while dealing with the issues of such importance.

“The Indian MEA’s spurious insinuations are irresponsible and without a shred of evidence,” it said. “We also note with concern a pointless reference to the third countries, in a bid to exert pressure on Pakistan. This not only reflects India’s lack of diplomatic confidence but also constitutes a futile attempt to unnecessarily involve other countries.”

Some analysts believe that India’s disagreement with Washington over the May 10 ceasefire with Pakistan, and Trump’s renewed engagement with Islamabad, have contributed to a recent setback in ties between New Delhi and Washington under the Trump administration.

Pakistan shall continue to act as a responsible member of the comity of nations, its foreign office reiterated.

“However, any act of Indian aggression or violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty and territorial integrity will be met with an immediate and matching response,” it said. “The onus of any ensuing escalation will rest squarely with the Indian leadership.”

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s stock market maintained its bullish momentum on Monday, buoyed by reports of potential US investment in the energy sector and comments from the state finance minister that Islamabad and Washington would fine tune the details of a trade pact in the months ahead.

The KSE-100 Index climbed past the 147,000 points mark during intraday trading and closed at 146,929.84, up 1,547.05 points, or 1.06 percent, from Friday’s close of 145,382.79.

Positive investor sentiment has been underpinned by US President Donald Trump’s 19 percent tariffs on Pakistani imports announced last month, which officials say will pave the way for renewed investment by American firms and deepen economic ties between the two countries.

Topline Securities, a Karachi-based brokerage, said market giants like Mari Petroleum Company (MARI), Bank AL Habib Limited (BAHL), Oil and Gas Development Company (OGDC), Meezan Bank Limited (MEBL) and Muslim Commercial Bank (MCB) dominated Monday’s rally, collectively adding 959 points to the index.

“Sentiment surged after reports of US firms gearing up to invest in Pakistan’s energy sector, further reinforced by better-than-expected corporate results that added to the market’s upbeat tone,” the report said.

The total traded volume reached 607 million shares with a trading value of Rs43.95 billion. Lotte Chemical Pakistan Limited (LOTCHEM) led the volumes chart, with 73 million shares changing hands.

Market analysts say the positive momentum reflects growing investor confidence in Pakistan’s economic prospects, helped by strengthened US ties that are expected to support further gains in the near term.

Pakistan’s State Minister for Finance, Bilal Azhar Kayani, described the US trade pact as a “landmark” deal, saying the 19 percent tariff was the lowest in the South Asian region.

“And the agreement with more details will be negotiated and discussed in the months ahead,” he said during an interview with Bloomberg.

“Which would include various aspects, rules of origin or market access or tariffs per specific lines reciprocally.”

Kayani noted that the US was Pakistan’s largest export destination, accounting for $6 billion of the country’s $32 billion in exports last fiscal year.

Pakistan’s exports to the US are dominated by textiles and garments, but also include leather goods, surgical instruments, sports equipment, chemicals, carpets and seafood, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

The new trade agreement comes amid signs of a thaw in relations between Islamabad and Washington after years of friction over security and counterterrorism. The Biden administration maintained a cautious approach toward Pakistan, but Trump has spoken warmly of his interactions with Pakistani officials, including an unprecedented two-hour meeting in June with the Pakistan army chief. More recently, US officials have emphasized trade and investment cooperation, particularly in crypto, energy, textiles, and information technology sectors.