Tuesday , 29 April, 2025 | 15 বৈশাখ, 1432 Bangabdo
Published: 06:51 28 April 2025
Pakistan has threatened to use nuclear weapons to protect its existence and sovereignty if India launches a military operation in Pakistan. The country's Defense Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif gave this warning in an interview on Monday.
In an interview given to Reuters in Islamabad on Thursday, Khawaja Asif said, "If our existence is directly threatened, we will have no option but to use nuclear weapons."
Earlier, 25 Indian citizens and a Nepali were killed in a gun attack in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir, on Tuesday. The attack has sparked widespread anger in India and calls for military action against Pakistan.
India has long accused Pakistan of supporting separatists in Kashmir. The two countries have fought two direct wars over the disputed Himalayan region in the past. Tensions have risen further in the recent attacks, raising fears of a new conflict.
In the interview, Khawaja Asif said, “We have strengthened our military. Because now the threat of a military attack is high. In this situation, we have taken some strategic decisions.”
He also said that it has become necessary to be alert in the way India is threatening Pakistan over the Kashmir incident. The Pakistani military has also informed the government about the threat of an Indian attack. Although he did not give any details about the possible attack.
After the attack in Pahalgam, India claimed that the two suspected attackers were Pakistanis. However, Islamabad denied this allegation and demanded an impartial investigation.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Asif further clarified, “We are on high alert. The decision to use our nuclear arsenal will be taken only if there is a direct threat to our existence.”
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