Islamabad [Pakistan], October 8 (ANI): Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has once again issued provocative remarks against India, warning that the “chances of war with India are real” and declaring he was “not denying that possibility.” His comments, made during an interview with Samaa TV, have reignited tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.
“I do not want escalation, but the risks are real and I am not denying that. If it comes to war, God willing, we will achieve a better result than before,” said Asif, adopting a defiant tone.
Asif went on to claim that India had “never been a united nation,” except briefly under Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, asserting that Pakistan was “created in the name of Allah.” He added, “At home, we argue and compete. In a fight with India, we come together.”
His latest statements come just days after similar threats in response to remarks by Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi, who warned Pakistan to cease sponsoring terrorism if it wished to “exist on the world map.”
General Dwivedi, during a visit to forward areas near Bikaner, had cautioned that India would not show the same restraint in a future confrontation as it did during Operation Sindoor 1.0. “India is fully prepared this time. We will not show the restraint we exhibited during Operation Sindoor 1.0. This time, the action will be such that Pakistan will have to think whether it wants to exist geographically,” the Army Chief said.
Operation Sindoor 1.0 was a decisive Indian Air Force operation carried out in response to the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, which killed 26 civilians. The mission targeted nine terrorist facilities in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, including the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) headquarters in Bahawalpur and the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) base in Muridke. The strikes caused significant damage to terrorist infrastructure and Pakistani military assets.
India’s air defence systems also intercepted multiple Pakistani drones and missiles during the operation, successfully preventing damage to Indian installations and civilian areas.
India and Pakistan have fought several wars since gaining independence in 1947. The first conflict erupted that same year over the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir, followed by another in 1965 that ended in a ceasefire brokered by the Soviet Union. In 1971, India supported the Mukti Bahini in East Pakistan, leading to the creation of Bangladesh after Pakistan’s military surrendered on December 16.
The two nations clashed again in 1999 during the Kargil conflict in Kashmir, which concluded with Pakistan withdrawing its forces.
Khawaja Asif’s latest comments underscore Pakistan’s escalating rhetoric amid India’s firm stance on cross-border terrorism — a development that has once again put the region on edge. (ANI)
About The Author
