As the ‘war of words’ between India and Pakistan escalates, Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warns about “chances of war”. He also claimed that if the situation escalates, the Pakistani army is prepared to hit back at India.
The statement was made during an interview with Samaa TV on Tuesday, when he was questioned by the anchor about his reaction to the latest statements made by Indian military and political leaders. He said that threats of armed confrontation with India still exist, and Pakistan is keeping a close watch on the safety situation.
Stating that he does not wish for an escalation in the future, but if it happens, he is confident that the results will be more favourable than ever before. He also made serious claims that Pakistan has more allies backing it than it had six months before, while India has lost even the countries that were supporting it in the conflict in May this year. Mr Asif has, however, not named any country in this regard.
In the same interview, he also claimed that India has never been a united nation except during the reign of Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. While stating that Pakistan, which is founded on the name of Allah, had remained united even in the May conflict, despite its pressing domestic issues. This is Asif’s second remark, after Indian Army Chief General Upendra Diwedi stated that if Pakistan escalated any conflict, it might have to rethink its geography.
The Defence Minister of India, Rajnath Singh, also made a similar statement while addressing an event in Gujarat earlier this month. The conflict between India and Pakistan escalated in May following the 22 April terrorist attack in Pahalgam. Pakistan has been claiming victory in the conflict, not just inside the country but also on various international platforms, while India has maintained its stance that the Pakistani military pleaded for ending the war.
