Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khwaja Asif on Wednesday threatened that India’s latest military strike marked an “invitation to expand the conflict.” He said that Islamabad was ready for an “all-out war” after India launched Operation Sindoor, hitting nine terror sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Speaking to CNN’s Becky Anderson, he warned that Islamabad is ‘trying to avoid’ a full-fledged war between the two neighbours.
“This Is A Clear-Cut Violation” – Khwaja Asif
According to the Pakistani Defense Minister, New Delhi’s deadly assault on Punjab and PoK on Wednesday was a “clear-cut violation and that “India crossed an international boundary.” CNN quoted him as saying, “This is a clear-cut violation, and an invitation to expand the conflict and maybe convert it into something much wider and much more dangerous, all-out war. There is absolutely no doubt, because India is increasing the intensity, the stakes of this conflict,” added Asif. “So… we can’t be caught with our guards down.”
Pakistan Earlier Signalled Willingness To End The Conflict if…
Earlier, Asif said that Islamabad would be ready to end the conflict if India backed down. He made the remarks during an interview with Bloomberg TV. “It all depends on India, it has been initiated by India. If they are ready to back down… they have taken the initiative, we have just responded,” Pak defence minister Kwaja Asif told Bloomberg in response to a question on how far Islamabad is willing to go after Operation Sindoor. The strikes were in response to the dastardly terrorist attack in Pahalgam that led to the death of 26 civilians, including a Nepali citizen.
