Pakistan open to de-escalation if India ceases military action, as stated by Asif.
After India's surprise attacks on Pakistani terror groups yesterday, the Pak DefMin Khawaja Asif told Bloomberg TV that Pakistan won't instigate hostilities if India calls off their Operation Sindoor and other aggressive moves.
"We've been clear for the past couple of weeks - we never start any hostilities against India. But if we're attacked, we'll retaliate," Asif said.
The situation unfolded as Pakistan reels from attacks on nine targets across the nation, including four in Punjab and five in PoK, carried out by the Indian military via non-contact strikes in the wee hours of the night. The Indian government retaliated following the brutal killings of 26 innocents by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, according to News18.com.
Asif expressed, "If we're attacked, we'll respond. But if India backs off, we'll wrap this up. For now, as long as we're under fire, we've got to respond."
Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has already denounced the Indian airstrikes, asserting Pakistan's right to a firm response[1]. Moreover, the National Security Committee has convened to address the situation, and Pakistan's charge d'affaires has been summoned to protest[1]. Given this context, it's likely that Asif's stance mirrors that of the Prime Minister, stressing the necessity of a strong response to India's actions.
[1] - Sources: Times of India, Al Jazeera, Reuters, Dawn.com for additional context and insights on the escalating India-Pakistan tensions.
Definitely, the tension between India and Pakistan remains high, as the recent attacks on nine targets in Pakistan, including Islamabad, have sparked a war-and-conflicts response from both nations. The Pakistani Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, has stated that if attacked, they'll retaliate, mirroring the stance of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Asif also emphasized that if India backs off, they'll wrap up the conflict. The general news and politics spheres are actively covering the situation extensively, offering insights on the escalating India-Pakistan tensions from various sources, such as Times of India, Al Jazeera, Reuters, and Dawn.com.
