Pakistan Army chief Gen Raheel Sharif today met his top commanders and said the military was “watchful” towards the security imperatives of the country in the wake of “hostile narrative” by India after terrorists killed 18 Indian soldiers in Kashmir.

The Corps Commanders Conference – held in Rawalpindi and chaired by Gen Sharif – reviewed external and internal security situation and operational preparedness of the army, the army said in a statement.

“Taking note of a hostile narrative being propagated by India, COAS (Gen Sharif) said that we are fully cognizant and closely watching the latest happenings in the region and their impact on the security of Pakistan,” the statement said.

“Armed forces of Pakistan are fully prepared to respond to entire spectrum of direct and indirect threat,” he said, expressing his satisfaction over operational preparedness of the army.

“Pakistans armed forces together with our resilient nation have surmounted every challenge and will thwart any sinister design against integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan in future as well,” Gen Sharif said during the meeting.

Heavily-armed militants stormed a battalion headquarters of the Indian Army in North Kashmirs Uri town in the wee hours yesterday, killing 18 jawans and injuring 19 others in the attack in which all four terrorists were neutralised.

Indias DGMO Lt Gen Ranbir Singh has said all the four killed militants were foreign terrorists and had carried with them items which had Pakistani markings and that initial reports indicated that they belonged to Pakistan-based Jaish-E-Mohammed terrorist group.