The Defence Minister of Pakistan has indicated that a military incursion by neighboring India is likely following a deadly militant assault on tourists in Kashmir last week, amid escalating tensions between the two nuclear nations.
This assault resulted in the deaths of 26 individuals, inciting outrage in Hindu-majority India and prompting calls for action against Muslim-majority Pakistan.
India holds Pakistan responsible for supporting militancy in Kashmir, a contested region over which both nations have fought two wars.
“We have bolstered our forces because this situation has become imminent. Accordingly, some strategic decisions have been made,” Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif shared during a Reuters interview in his Islamabad office.
India’s foreign and defence ministries have yet to respond to requests for comment.
Following the Kashmir attack, India stated that two suspected militants were from Pakistan. Islamabad has refuted involvement and called for an impartial investigation.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has pledged to pursue and punish the attackers.
While Pakistan remains on high alert, Mr. Asif noted that nuclear weapons would only be deployed if “there is a direct threat to our existence.” He is a seasoned politician and a vocal member of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party, which has a history of advocating for peace talks with India.
Pakistani protesters regarding the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty
‘Act of war’
The minister further mentioned that Pakistan has reached out to friendly nations, including Gulf states and China, and has also updated Britain, the United States, and others regarding the situation.
“Some of our friends in the Arabian Gulf have communicated with both parties,” Mr. Asif stated, without revealing the names of these countries.
In the meantime, China expressed a desire for restraint and welcomed all efforts to de-escalate the situation.
Mr. Asif noted that the United States has, up till now, been “staying away” from intervening in this issue.
US President Donald Trump commented last week that India and Pakistan would work out their relations independently, but the State Department later clarified that the US is in contact with both sides, urging them to search for a “responsible solution.”
The US has previously assisted in calming tensions between the countries, both of which gained independence in 1947 when the British colonial administration partitioned the subcontinent into two separate states.
Since the Kashmir attack, both nations have implemented a series of measures against each other.
India has suspended the Indus Waters Treaty, a critical river-sharing agreement, while Pakistan has closed its airspace to Indian airlines.
Mr. Asif asserted that depriving vulnerable areas of water constitutes an “act of war,” adding that the treaty, which has endured previous conflicts, is backed by international guarantors.
“We have already approached the relevant authorities regarding this treaty,” he said, urging the international community and the World Bank to safeguard the agreement.
India has also accused Pakistan of harboring the Islamist militants responsible for the 2008 Mumbai attacks, which claimed over 166 lives, including those of foreigners. Pakistan has denied these allegations.
